[ amor vincit omnia]

Madi's heartbeat pounded in her chest, her hand curled tightly around the hilt of her sword. Her eyes had already adjusted to the darkness of the forest, but as she stared into the inky blackness, she wasn't able to discern what was coming towards them. So when a girl with olive skin and curly black hair emerged from the tree-line, she was as stunned as if it had been a monster.

"Hello," Adhara spoke silkily. "I'm assuming that this is the meeting for the task-force."

Everyone sighed audibly, but as Madi glanced at Ben beside her, she figured she wasn't the only one who was slightly upset at the fact that the daughter of Nemesis had shown up.

"It is," Nova sighed, standing from her hiding spot. "So glad you could make it, Adhara."

"I'm glad you could invite me," Adhara smiled, a certain glimmer in her eyes that made Madi think of a serial killer's. The daughter of Nemesis cast a look around the group, taking everyone in for a moment too long.

"So," Flynn clapped his hands together, breaking the odd spell of silence that seemed to follow Adhara like a wake. "Plan?"

Madi glanced at Ben, and with a funny look, the son of Athena spoke for her. "We have to keep this as low-key as possible. We'll divide into pairs or groups of three, and each group will have a task to help locate the Labyrinth."

"The Labyrinth?" Adhara echoed, an edge in her voice like she was about to start laughing. "You're kidding, right?"

Madi blinked her hazel eyes, frowning at the daughter of Nemesis. "No, not at all."

Adhara gave her a silly smile. "You guys don't have to do any researching for the Labyrinth entrance. I already know where it is."

Based on the looks the dark-haired girl got, she could have said that she knew how to get to the dark side of the moon in Argus' van. However, despite the confusion, Adhara only turned on her heel, flouncing off into the forest.

"I'll show you!" She called over her shoulder.

Madi met the puzzled gazes of her friends, but found herself following. Sure, Adhara's news had taken them all by surprise, and in all honesty, Madi wasn't the mysterious girl's biggest fan, but if she had the information they needed, they could help Tessa sooner.

The sounds of eight demigods traipsing through the forest filled the air, and Madi pushed every thought of every horror movie she'd ever seen in her life away. Adhara was not a serial killer despite her...not being all there, and they were not all about to die a horrible death. Right?

Adhara stopped before Madi could answer for herself.

They'd reached the clearing in the woods, where Capture the Flag battles often were waged. A branch of the Zephyrus Creek ran past it, behind and around the massive stack of boulders known to the campers as Zeus' Fist.

"Where would the Labyrinth be in this place?" Sierra sniffed, scanning the tree-line.

Adhara pushed forward to the stack of boulders, poking around the various crevices as if she were trying to fit in-between them. Madi was half-tempted to book it at that point, but before she could, the daughter of Nemesis spoke.

"It's here!"

The others surged forward, forming a semi-circle around the crack that Adhara had seemed to fit herself into. It was about two feet wide and five feet tall, shrouded in darkness on the inside.

Ben frowned at Madi's side. "But the Labyrinth entrances are known to have Daedalus' symbol within them."

Adhara gave the son of Athena a look. "It's inside, but I don't think any of us want to be within it, do we?" She scanned everyone's visages and smirked. "Now, what's next?"

Everyone turned to Ben and Madi, the surrogate leaders of this miniature mission. While Madi hadn't necessarily anticipated getting this far this fast, she was grateful that she had planned out every step before they'd executed them.

"We've gotta put out a guard detail," She spoke, her tone confident. She turned to Amelie, who was watching the scene play out with her kaleidoscopic eyes—they always seemed to be changing color from green, to blue, to gray, and back. "I need you to cast a spell over the entrance."

The daughter of Hecate's eyes bugged out a bit, but she nodded. "What do you want it to do?"

"Basically make it a magical alarm system," Madi answered. "If anyone goes in or out, we'll know about it somehow."

Flynn put a reassuring hand on Amelie's shoulder as she walked forward, her footsteps crunching on the grass at her feet. The daughter of Hecate stood a few paces from the entrance to the Labyrinth and spread her hands.

Instantly, a ball of energy materialized between Amelie's hands. Her irises shimmered the color of the ball, a mix of blue and violet and black. Her hands spread even further, and the orb of energy erupted. A ripple of energy shot from her hands, through the entire clearing.

Madi flinched, shielding her eyes, but when the light faded, a shimmering veil filled the crevice between the two boulders.

Amelie exhaled, the glow in her eyes fading. "There," She breathed. "The spell will last until something goes in or out."

"That should do," Ben said. "Thanks, Amelie."

The daughter of Hecate nodded and returned to Flynn's side. Her gaze was locked on the Labyrinth entrance, as if she were making sure that the spell was still intact.

Ben and Madi listed off the guard pairs and their schedules, and once they were announced, everyone parted on their way back to camp. However, as Madi walked, she found herself watching Zeus' Fist until it disappeared behind the trees, the secret of what it truly hid veiled within it.

~~

Tessa yelled in defiance, kicking Jett to the ground. He fell instantly, but rebounded by swiping his leg out to try to knock her off of her feet. Tessa jumped, grabbing her fallen sword and holding it under the son of Bacchus' throat.

"Match goes to Tessa," Reese called from the sidelines. "Again."

Tessa smiled, catching her breath as she did. She lowered her sword from Jett's throat, holding her hand out instead. "Good game?"

Jett eyed her carefully. "Do you promise not to judo-flip me if I shake your hand?"

"This time, yes."

Jett didn't look convinced, but he shook Tessa's hand in parting. He sulked to the sidelines, where their other friends were gathered for a day of training. Reese, Kaden, Sophia, Imogen, and Vinny sat along the benches, dressed in athletic gear.

"So who's next?" Tessa spread her hands, a smirk on her face as she picked up her water bottle and took a sip.

Suddenly, everyone seemed very preoccupied with themselves. Reese rifled his papers where he was keeping score of who won each match, Imogen looked at herself in her compact mirror, Kaden and Vinny engaged in a staring contest, Sophia stretched herself out and Jett avoided all eye contact whatsoever.

"What, you're all afraid?" Tessa made a mock pouty face. "If it changes anything, I'll leave Tempest out of it. Hand to hand combat, anyone?"

That snagged Vinny's attention, at least. The centurion tore his focus from his staring contest with Kaden, a glint in his blue eyes.

"I'll go," He said, standing from his seat. He sauntered to the center of the gym where Tessa stood, readying himself. "You ready for this, Brennan?"

"Absolutely, Maxwell, but the question is: are you?" Tessa mused airily.

"Well, of course I am—"

Tessa cut him off by throwing a punch, but surprisingly, Vinny caught her hand. His grip was powerful, and Tessa watched him in surprise for a moment.

Vinny grinned maliciously. "I've got some moves of my own."

He twisted his grip, pulling Tessa up and over in a flip. Thankfully, Tessa was agile enough to slip out of his vice-like grip, flipping herself over and landing back on her feet.

Vinny frowned. "How'd you do that?"

"I've got moves too," Tessa grinned before charging.

The fight ensued without interruption after that. Tessa leapt and swung a kick at Vinny's head, who ducked and tried to grab her leg. Tessa kicked him away, falling to the ground but kicking herself back up in time to parry some blows from the centurion before her. She gripped his arms, trying to flip him over, but in some carefully calculated move, he had her pressed him against him from behind.

"I think," Vinny breathed. "I win."

Tessa narrowed her eyes. "I don't think so."

She jabbed her elbow back into his solar plexus, causing him to stumble back in surprise. Then, she stepped down on his foot. With the centurion stumbling back in pain behind her, Tessa finished off the move by bringing the heel of her hand up to his nose forcefully, before turning to an angle where she gripped his shoulders and kneed him where it hurt.

The centurion collapsed after his voice went up a few octaves. His blue eyes bugged out, and Tessa folded her arms, smirking down at him.

"I win," She said proudly.

Vinny took a few deep breaths, reaching for her weakly. "Never...never underestimate me."

Tessa gave him a look, but turned on her heel, marching back to the sidelines. However, before she could, her feet were kicked out from under her and she fell to the ground. She groaned in pain, turning over in time to see the disheveled haired centurion kneeling over her, his forearm pressed to her throat.

Vinny was grinning, a look in his blue eyes that Tessa couldn't place. He glanced back up, and the look was replaced with a boyish one. "That's one for me, Reese!"

"Noted," The son of Apollo called back, but his voice sounded distracted, like he too was surprised at how Vinny had recovered so quickly.

Tessa eyed him warily, but Vinny stepped off of Tessa, holding out a hand to her to help her up. She took it and he pulled her back up, and just like that, Vinny's immense strength subsided. He was a grinning, boyish mess again, running a hand through his hair as he paced to the sidelines.

"Alright, so, that was eventful," Imogen commented, her green eyes wide. "What next?"

Kaden's gaze flicked to Tessa before he spoke, leaning forward and resting his arms on his knees. "Well, we've still got a lot to do training-wise."

The group collectively groaned, and Tessa didn't hesitate to join them. While she enjoyed the adrenaline rush that came from fighting, they'd been at it for a couple hours already. Her muscles were beginning to feel sore, and even though she needed the practice for what was to come at the end of the week, she wanted a break.

"I think we can call it quits for the day," Sophia said, standing up. "Besides, we have a few more pressing issues to deal with."

Tessa made a face as she took a gulp from her water bottle. A few more was an understatement. She sighed, leaning against one of the punching bags.

"Works for us," Jett clapped Vinny on the shoulder. "Come along, Vindex, we can find other forms of mischief elsewhere in the city."

"Vindex? That's your full name?" Imogen asked, a trace of a smile on her face.

Vinny put his hands up in surrender as he got up. "I know, I know, it sounds like Windex, but it translates to 'avenger' in Latin."

"Just like how mine means 'of the sea' in Greek," Tessa chimed. She knew the struggle of having one of those long, ancient names, and could only imagine the puns that Vinny had to live through in his lifetime.

Vinny nodded, picking up his athletic bag from the ground. "Well, Imogen, you should probably join Jett and I. We've got centurion business to deal with nowadays, don't we?"

"Don't remind me," The daughter of Cupid groaned. She pressed a quick kiss to Reese's cheek, smiling as she stood. "See you, guys."

Tessa smiled in parting as the blonde girl joined Vinny and Jett. Together, the three Romans emerged from the gymnasium, their footsteps filling the growing silence. And somehow, Tessa didn't need to guess what was triggering the tension.

"I hope she's okay," Sophia exhaled, her vision fixated on a point in the horizon.

Reese sighed, setting his papers to the side. He dragged his hands through his hair in exasperation, staring at the ground. "We should've gone with her," He murmured.

"How?" Tessa asked. "We didn't even know she was going."

"I know, it's just," Reese pressed his lips into a thin line. "She's probably alone and afraid, looking for a best friend that doesn't exist anymore. Doesn't she know that she can't save him?"

Kaden shook his head to himself, looking back up at his friends. "Dale and Mark had some kind of bond that nothing could shake. Maybe Dale thinks that that bond of theirs is what'll help her get through to him?"

Tessa took a deep breath, leaning back against the punching bag and staring up at the ceiling. "I don't think she's going to try to fix him," She spoke. "Based on how she freaked out when I told her what happened, I think she's just looking for him to prove something to herself."

"Like what?" Kaden asked, his voice soft.

Tessa inhaled sharply, shutting her eyes. She imagined Dale walking down a darkening tunnel in the heart of the maze, calling out Mark's name into the void.

"That her best friend really did die in that cave-in."

~~

The rest of the afternoon flew by after their training session in the gymnasium, and yet even after countless meetings, sparring sessions, and books on the history of the Labyrinth, Tessa still couldn't fall asleep. Maybe it was a side-effect of being in a strange, new, place, but she was getting fed up with the insomnia. Her muscles ached, her head hurt, she needed a break.

Tessa flopped back down onto her sheets helplessly, staring up at the blank ceiling. It was funny how in the dead of night, everything seemed so peaceful, but Tessa knew what problems were hiding behind the shroud of the stars. Orion, Mark, and the Regiment; Dale in the Labyrinth; the traitor at camp; her break-up with Kaden; it all melded into a sort of armor that Tessa had to put on and bear, even though she just wanted peace.

She sighed, sitting back up. The more she dwelled on her problems, the more she needed to exert her frustrations. And maybe this time, she wouldn't find the boy she loved kissing another girl on her way to the gym.

Tessa got out of bed, slipping out of her pajamas and into running shorts and a sports bra, zipping up her hoodie over it. She grabbed Tempest off of her nightstand, sticking it in her pocket. Then, she headed out from her room, praying to the gods that she would be able to find her way into New Rome without Vinny's help again.

The chill of night was able to spur Tessa's senses into relaxing to a certain degree. She walked under the cover of darkness, gripping Tempest like a vice, but with a serene expression on her face. Eventually, the trails of Camp Jupiter turned into the cobblestone paths of New Rome, and with a careful glance around every corner as she walked, Tessa made her way to the gymnasium.

Her footsteps echoed off the walls and floors of the immaculate building, and as Tessa walked into the gymnasium for the second time that day, she froze. Someone else was already inside.

Kaden stood in the center of the gym, hammering away at the punching bag before him. He was dressed in the same outfit as earlier: basketball shorts and a black tank top that Tessa only now realized did wonders to accent his muscles. His fists were bound like a boxer's would be, and his skin glistened faintly from sweat.

Tessa blinked out of her reverie. "Kaden?"

The son of Venus whirled around, a wild look in his emerald eyes. He took a deep breath, watching Tessa as if her were taking her in. "Tessa," He breathed, longing filling his voice.

Tessa felt her heart squeeze painfully at hearing Kaden's voice. Just how he said her name, with so much longing...she bit her lip, remembering what he had said days ago about not treating one another like enemies.

"What're you doing awake?" She asked casually, trying to calm her racing heartbeat.

Kaden glanced down at his hands, which were still clenched into fists from his training. He relaxed them, letting his arms fall limp at his sides. "I don't sleep much nowadays," He admitted. "I, uh, just come down here to relax, I guess." He flashed a sheepish smile at her, and Tessa returned it by default.

She nodded, stepping further into the gym. "I can relate," She exhaled, smiling wryly. She glanced at the punching bag, which was still rocking from being beaten up by Kaden. "What'd the punching bag ever do to you?"

Kaden laughed, the sound sending a familiar flutter through Tessa's heart, and looked behind him at the punching bag. "It was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," He joked, turning back to Tessa. "What about you? Couldn't sleep?"

Tessa found herself taking Kaden in, and when she realized she was staring, she averted her gaze. She cleared her throat, forcing herself to focus. "Not necessarily," She said. "I haven't been able to sleep since we..." Her voice trailed off, and she looked away to hide the grimace that entailed her words.

Nice going, Brennan, she thought to herself.

"I get it," Kaden said, causing Tessa to look back at him quickly. "I haven't either." He looked at his feet, taking a deep breath.

Tessa watched Kaden carefully, evaluating the situation. Despite herself, she found herself surging forward until she was only a few feet in front of him. She looked into his eyes, before averting her gaze to the punching bag. "Mind if I do something real quick?"

Kaden gave her a funny look, but motioned to go ahead. Tessa took a deep breath and forced herself to channel all of her anger and sorrow and worry into one well-executed punch, hitting the punching bag with such a force that even Kaden looked taken aback.

Tessa shook her hand out, feeling slightly relieved. "Man, that felt good."

Kaden muttered something under his breath, but when Tessa looked back at him, he was smiling weakly. "I'm sure," He said.

Tessa arched an eyebrow. "What did you say?"

Kaden shook his head, running a hand through his chestnut hair. "Nothing, don't worry about it," He took a shallow breath, a flicker in his eyes.

Tessa took a step forward, and Kaden took the same step backwards.

"Tessa, please," Kaden breathed, a rasp in his voice. "I can't do this."

"Do what?"

"This!" Kaden motioned between them. "Being so close to you but not being able to touch you, to kiss you, to run my hands through your hair like I always used to. You're so close, yet so far at the same time."

Tessa felt her heart pound in her chest, her lips parting at his words. "Kaden," She tried, but the son of Venus was on a roll.

"Do you know how hard it's been for me? I made a mistake, one that you need to know more about before you go on hating me for the rest of your life, and that is one action I will regret for the rest of mine. I see you every day, being the you that I love so much, leading us into battle, standing up before a crowd, doing everything that I admire about you and more. And I can't be there to do it with you," Kaden breathed, a wounded look in his eyes. "I see you with Charlie, laughing and talking and hanging out and it feels like a shot through the heart. But I know I deserve it. I hurt you, I took you for granted, and I'll never be able to forgive myself."

Tessa searched Kaden's tense face, his emerald eyes which glimmered with intensity. She found herself speechless, unsure of what to say. Then finally, she was able to speak.

"What happened between you and Mallory that night?" She asked softly, gauging his reaction.

Kaden took a deep breath. "I couldn't sleep, so I came here to train, right? Like I'm doing now. Mallory found me, and for the past couple days that we've been here, I haven't been able to shake her. I love her to death, but she's always been like a sister to me. I knew about her crush on me, and I tried to damper the flames but I guess my attempts only fueled it.

"She found me in here and we got into an argument. She was telling me about something she'd been hiding, and she wanted me to help her with it, just like old times, but the way she was looking at me...I know she wanted more. Mallory confessed to how to felt about me after that, and when I told her that it would never happen because I'm so irreversibly in love with you, she kissed me. That's when you walked in and," Kaden took a ragged breath, his hands clenching into fists at his side.

Tessa's heart panged. She looked away from him, feeling the full force of his story impact her like a tidal wave. So he'd been telling the truth, then. He was subject to Mallory's advances, not the other way around.

And he loved her. She'd never heard him say those words to her before, and maybe he didn't mean to let them slip out, but they did, and her heart fluttered at the feeling.

Tessa looked back up at him, but a new sort of force was in Kaden's eyes.

"Tessa, I know you don't feel the same anymore, I can't hold that against you, but you have no idea how hard it is. I just want to pull you to me and kiss you until I can't feel the pain of these past few weeks anymore." He spoke, his words running into one another.

"Then do it," Tessa surprised herself at her words, but she met Kaden's gaze challengingly.

Kaden blinked. Obviously, he hadn't been expecting that. "I know you don't want to."

"Kaden," Tessa said blankly, taking another step towards him. This time, he didn't step away. They were nearly pressed up against one another, and when Tessa tilted her head up to look at him, she could faintly feel his erratic breath on her cheeks. "Try me."

She searched his eyes, and the next thing she knew, Kaden had cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers passionately. Instantly, Tessa fell under the spell, her eyes fluttering shut as she kissed back, her hands on his arms.

There was a new intensity behind Kaden's kiss, one fueled by a fire of passion and longing. He kissed her until he took her breath away, just like he always did, and Tessa found herself wondering just how she'd gone without his touch for so long. It was a like a drug that she needed more and more of, and now that she had it, she never wanted to get off of it.

Kaden's hands slid down her figure, igniting fires and sparks wherever he touched her. Tessa became very conscious of her fashion choices in that moment, but based on how Kaden was touching her—forcefully and yet as gently as if she would break—she didn't regret it.

His hands, now calloused and rough from hammering away at enemies and punching bags, gripped her waist, moving her backwards until her back was pressed up against the punching bag. He kissed her deeply, and Tessa felt as if she were short-circuiting from the passion and the pressure.

Tessa kissed back, their lips moving in sync as she reached up and entangled her hands in his hair. They were pressed up against one another, two puzzle pieces which fit together perfectly despite their rough edges. Before long, they were both pulling away, catching their breaths, before their lips found one another again.

Tessa wasn't sure where the sudden confidence was coming from, but her lips trailed from Kaden's to his jawline, leaving ghostly kisses along it. Whatever power she suddenly had over him, it was a great one, because he took a shallow breath, his head falling back a bit.

He captured her lips once more, and Tessa smiled into it. Just as she had done with him, his lips trailed to her neck and her breathing caught. Then, when the passion was becoming too much for a gym to handle, he rested his forehead against her shoulder.

They were silent, aside from their raspy breaths and rapid heartbeats. After a moment, Kaden straightened up. He kissed Tessa softly, as if she might break from too much pressure. He pulled away, a sheepish smile on his face.

Tessa could fight the giddy smile that found its way onto her lips at seeing Kaden smile like that after such an intimate moment. "What're you smiling about?"

"Nothing, it's just," Kaden took another breath. "Do you remember when we met, Tess?"

Tessa arched an eyebrow. "What?"

"Just answer the question," He laughed under his breath, sending another shockwave through her heart.

"Yes, I do. Why?" She smiled, her happiness growing at seeing the excitement in his eyes.

"It's just...on that day, I told you that I would be your first friend at camp. I didn't realize then that you would soon after become the most important person in my life. I didn't realize the impact that you would have on me. I never thought that the girl with the ocean in her eyes would become the world in mine." Kaden spoke, his voice feather soft. He took her hands gently, pressing them on his chest, right over his heart. "All my love, and all my heart, will forever belong to you, Tessa Brennan."

Tessa searched Kaden's eyes, tears willing up in her own. She felt Kaden's heartbeat beneath her own fingertips, a heart she'd broken on false pretenses, a heart that beat only for her. "I love you, too," She whispered, every ounce of truth laced within each word becoming a beacon of the fire of adoration that she felt for him.

Tessa could see Kaden light up at that. He grinned widely, picking her up and spinning her around. She squealed and laughed, but just as soon as it happened, she was back on the ground, with Kaden kissing her happily.

"I love you," He whispered, as if she'd forget. He pulled away, pulling Tessa into his embrace. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to tell you that."

"Oh, I bet I do," Tessa laughed, but settled her head on Kaden's chest. She hugged him tightly, and while she lost track of time, she didn't necessarily care anymore. Kaden's arms were around her, holding her to him like he never wanted to let her go again, and frankly, Tessa didn't mind. As the large clock in the gymnasium ticked its way through the night hours, Tessa counted her own time in Kaden's heartbeat, the two of them now having all the time in the world.

~~

Days passed, and Madi was beginning to grow uneasy. She wasn't sure what was worse, having no one come through the Labyrinth or the opposite. One meant that they were under attack, and the other meant that Tessa could be the one fighting them instead.

"Loosen up," Ben wrapped an arm around her shoulders, shaking her gently. "You've been tense for the past who knows how many days."

Madi sighed. "Can you blame me? It's nerve-wracking."

Ben heaved a dramatic sigh, stopping them in their tracks. He took Madi's hands, looking down at her with an amiable glint in his eyes. "Everything is going to turn out just fine," He said. "I promise you that."

Madi narrowed her eyes at him. "Can I hold you to that?"

Ben tossed his head back and laughed. "Go ahead," He said. "Now come on, we're gonna be late for the campfire."

The duo continued their way down the paths, and just as Madi could hear the sounds of the campers in the amphitheater beginning to lighten her mood, the sudden flare of purple light that emanated from the forest froze her in place. Instantly, people began to stir, coming out from their cabins and conversations and the amphitheater, staring up at the beam of light in the sky.

"So close," Madi whispered, her hand around the hilt of her sword. "So goddamn close."

She bolted off into the woods, her heart pounding in her chest. Ben followed, and with their weapons drawn, they advanced into the clearing of the woods, which was bathed in violet light.

Sure enough, someone had set off Amelie's alarm spell, triggering the light.

Or rather, three someones.

Madi approached carefully, as the three people clad in dark clothing were laying in the grass as if they'd never seen grass in their lives. They seemed completely oblivious to the miniature army surrounding them, weapons at the ready.

"State your name and business," Madi spoke, venom in her voice.

The boy in the center looked up, his white hair catching the violet rays of light in the air. With the rays of violet and flecks of light surrounding him, it appeared like he was standing in the middle of a nebula, stars erupting into existence around him. Despite it all, he smiled, hurrying to his feet.

Madi pointed her sword at him, watching him carefully. "Don't come any closer," She commanded.

The boy put his hands up in surrender. "Okay, sorry, that was a bad idea," He said. "My name is Eli Allistairs, and I come in peace."