Solace drew her sword. The glint of the long blade made the Chimera turn its attention to her.

She swung at the lion head, slicing its throat clean open. The goat head beside it brayed. She vaulted over it, twisting in midair. A godly blast started tingling at her fingertips.

Solace groaned and released the power. It incinerated the monster, blasting the dust miles around. She fell to the ground with a thump.

The boy ran over. "Thank you for saving us," he said quickly. "Do you need ambrosia? Or are you okay?"

Solace shook her head. "Is the girl okay? Are you okay?"

"Both of us are fine," he assured her. "I'm Lucas, by the way. Lucas Golden."

"Solace," she smiled faintly. "Daughter of Hades and Persephone."

"That's Lanabeth," he gestured to the little girl.

Hello, I'm L-A-N-A-B-E-T-H, she signed.

"Hi, Lanabeth. You can call me Sol."

Okay!

"Mute?"

"Yeah," Lucas sighed. "But she's a sweetheart."

Lanabeth beamed up at them.

"She adorable," Solace gave her crooked smile down at the girl.

"Do you always look this mischievous?" He asked with an eyebrow raised.

"What?" Solace's dimple disappeared as she crinkled her nose in confusion.

"You just look mischievous. I don't know how else to put it. Like you're going to start laughing any minute because of a joke only you understand."

She grinned again. "I would do that, come to think of it. And besides, I was born with brown hair. My hair changed to black over the nine hundred ninety-eight years I've lived. Human years of course. I'm not even nineteen."

"And the mischief?"

"All part of me," Solace said proudly.

Lanabeth giggled. Both turned their head at the little noise.

"Let's go Home," Solace said with another dimpled grin. "Capital -H."

"What?"

Solace took his hand and picked up Lanabeth. "Home. That's what we call it. It's where we all go to love, live, and dream. It's where we're all safe."

She teleported them to CHFH's entrance.

Lanabeth stared at the little cave. Where are we? She signed, bringing her hands up so Solace would notice.

"The entrance to Chiron's Home For Heroes," Solace grinned, opening the door.

Lucas followed Solace in slowly. He walked in slowly, looking distrusting of everyone. Solace gave him a quick smile and led them to two connecting dorms.

"I'll put Lanabeth in with three newer girls and Lucas, you can go in with my cousin Ash."

"Ash?" Lucas frowned.

"Yeah. He's the son of Poseidon. Demigod. Julian, Kane, Peter, and Sammy will be your dorm mates."

"Oh. Um, alright."

"It's free time, by the way. Your dorm mates are your brothers and sisters here."

"What about you?" Lucas asked.

"I'm in the dorm right across from you. It's just me and another girl. It's not a connected dorm. Most connected dorms have ten to fourteen in total. Bleh. The schedule's on the door, by the way. It's free time, I'm pretty sure. Hold on."

Solace opened the door and read through the schedule.

"Yeah, okay. It's free time. You two get settled, I'm going to get you some toiletries and blankets."

She sauntered away and went to the camp store. She put five drachmas down for all the stuff she took. No one was in there, which meant good time for the pranksters.

She returned to the dorm to see Lanabeth and Lucas signing to each other.

She tapped on the wall so she wouldn't startle them. Lucas stood to thank her.

"Thank you for helping us," he said earnestly. "I mean it. No one's been this kind to us since that satyr tried to convince us to come here."

"Kane? He's a sweetheart but he gives too much choice."

"He does. I feel like if he had been adamant about having us come here, we wouldn't be in this position."

"You can't blame the poor satyr. He's pretty strong but he just doesn't know when to say 'now'."

"I'm not. But thank you."

"Of course," Solace winked before jogging to the infirmary. 

Cassie started scolding her as soon as the immortal stepped inside. She ignored the woman, grabbing a vial. She popped it and downed it, wrinkling her nose at the taste. She felt her power return with a feeling of ice water trickling down her back.

Amalie squealed when she entered, seeing Solace leaning against the wall.

"You're back!" She exclaimed.

Solace chuckled. "Sure am."

Amalie pulled her back to the dorm she'd just left, looking really excited.

"What is it?"

"We have another sibling and dorm mate! Their name is... drumroll... Ayden!"

"Girl's side?" Solace asked.

"Yep! They said they were more comfortable with girls than boys."

She smiled to herself. Only CHFH would have this kind of happy community.

"I'll see you at dinner, alright? I got some unfinished business to attend to."

Solace walked back out of the place and started walking into the nearest town. That's where Hades had placed the entrance for convenience.

She slipped into the crack and started falling. She crossed her arms over her chest and kept herself rigid and straight like an arrow.

She landed in a crouch. The spirits parted for her as she strode confidently through the Punishment Fields and through Asphodel. She reached the palace and the guards opened the gates for her.

Megaera, Tisiphone, and Alecto met the younger in front of the throne room. Solace's entry was blocked, much to her confusion.

"Sisters, why have you blocked me from my father?"

"King Hades wishes not to speak to you," Alecto hissed.

"He insists we tell you to leave," Tisiphone snarled.

"He is standing behind you," Megaera growled.

"My dears, why do you speak so to your princess?" Hades asked from behind his daughter.

"She is not our princess," the Erinyes growled out. "Our princess is Stellaluna."

"No..." Solace muttered.

"Father," Hades said. His eyes hardened as he threw the Erinyes to the guards. They dragged the triplets to the dungeons, not even flinching at the fangs tearing apart their undead flesh.

"Dad," Solace whispered. "He wants me. He wants me on his side. I..." she trailed off, tears pricking at her eyes. A single year rolled down her cheek. Hades wiped it off with his thumb.

"He won't get you without going through me," he promised.

"No!" Solace cried, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand.

"What?"

"You can't! He'll kill you!"

Hades hugged his daughter and was pulled into a memory.

Hehehe. Cliffhanger...
~ Ella