ｔｈｅ　ｔｉｔａｎｓ　ｃｕｒｓｅ

WHEN LUCIA MADE IT ONTO SOLID GROUND she looked around in genuine wonder. As much as she disliked the cold she would be a liar to say she didn't appreciate the beauty of winter.

Frost covered the chariot tracks and the strawberry fields. The cabins were decorated with tiny flickering lights, like Christmas lights, except they seemed to be balls of real fire.

"Whoa," Nico said."Is that a climbing wall?"

"Yeah," Percy answered

"Why is there lava pouring down it?"

Lucia's gaze fell towards the climbing wall watching as multiple campers did stunts to avoid the lava. They all seemed to be quick, smart, and strong. Those that weren't calculating when the lava was going to come out were making swift moves to dodge it. All of them were skillful and incredibly impressive.

"I'm going to last two days" Lucia mumbled to herself

"Little extra challenge. Come on. I'll introduce you to Chiron. Zoe, have you met—"

"I know Chiron," Zoe said stiffly. "Tell him we will be in Cabin Eight. Hunters, follow me."

"I'll show you the way," Grover offered.

"We know the way."

"Oh, really, it's no trouble. It's easy to get lost here, if you don't"—he tripped over a canoe and came up still talking—"like my old daddy goat used to say! Come on!"

Zoe rolled her eyes, but Lucia could tell she realized there was no getting rid of Grover. The Hunters shouldered their packs and their bows and headed off toward the cabins.

As Bianca di Angelo was leaving, she leaned over and whispered something in her brother's ear. She looked at him for an answer, but Nico just scowled and turned away.

Bianca turned towards Lucia, she was hesitant.

"I will make sure he's okay B" Lucia reassured, even if she did disagree with Bianca's choice she loved her and she was her friend "Dont worry okay?"

Bianca smiled in relief before she followed her new family "Thank you L"

"Take care, sweethearts!" Apollo called after the Hunters. He winked at Percy. "Watch out for those prophecies, Percy. I'll see you soon."

"What do you mean?"

Instead of answering, he hopped back on the bus. "Later, Thalia," he called. Then he looked towards his daughter "And, uh, Lucia, uh, be good! No blowing up more cars!"

He closed the doors and revved the engine. Everyone turned aside as the sun chariot took off in a blast of heat. When Lucia looked back, the lake was steaming.

A red Maserati soared over the woods, glowing brighter and climbing higher until it disappeared in a ray of sunlight.

"You blew up a car?" Percy laughed, she turned towards him he looked impressed. "Awesome"

Before Lucia could respond, a grumpy Nico changed the subject. "Who's Chiron?" he asked. "I don't have his figurine."

"Our activities director," Percy said. "He's...well, you'll see.

"If those Hunter girls don't like him," Nico grumbled, "that's good enough for me. Let's go."

☼

THE CAMP WAS RATHER EMPTY FOR ITS SIZE. Lucia followed behind Percy and Thalia as they passed the armory, two twins picking the lock to the camp store, and what Percy said were a few kids from the Ares cabin having a snowball fight with wood nymphs at the edge of the forest.

They stopped in front of a large baby blue house with a white trim and wraparound porch. What Percy mentioned to be 'The Big House' was decorated with strings of red and yellow fireballs that warmed the porch but didn't seem to catch anything on fire. Inside, flames crackled in the hearth. The air smelled like hot chocolate.

Two men were playing a quiet game of cards in the parlor.

The man with the shaggy brown beard and curly hair wore a fuzzy sweater with a hoofprint design on it, and he had a large blanket on his lap.

He smiled when he saw the group. His presence was very warm and Lucia felt a little more at ease knowing that the activities director was friendly. "Percy! Thalia! Ah, and this must be—"

"Nico di Angelo," Percy said. "He and his sister are half-bloods."

"That is his sister?" Chiron asked unsure, seeing that physically Nico and Lucia had no common traits.

"No." Percy turned towards her, she's another half-blood we found. My friend... Lucia Verano."

"She's already been claimed by Apollo" Thalia added from next to her.

Chiron breathed a sigh of relief. "You succeeded, then. Even more so."

"Well..."

His smile melted. "What's wrong? And where is Annabeth?"

Lucia frowned remembering the brave girl that jumped onto the Manticore's back. She hoped she was alright and would be found soon. She didn't know anything about her but she knew that she put herself at risk to save Percy. And because of that, she deeply wished for her safe return.

"Oh, dear," The other man said in a bored voice, "Not another one lost."

Lucia turned to look at him, she didn't know how she didn't notice him first before. He was kind of hard to ignore in his neon orange leopard-skin warm-up suit and his purple running shoes. A golden laurel wreath was tilted sideways on his curly black hair, which must've meant he'd won the last hand of cards.

"What do you mean?" Thalia then asked out loud. "Who else is lost?"

Just then, Grover trotted into the room, grinning like crazy. He had a black eye and red lines on his face that looked like a slap marks. "The Hunters are all moved in!"

Chiron frowned. "The Hunters, eh? I see we have much to talk about." He glanced at Nico. "Grover, perhaps you should take our young friend to the den and show him our orientation film."

"But... Oh, right. Yes, sir."

"Orientation film?" Nico asked. "Is it G or PG? 'Cause Bianca is kinda strict—"

"It's PG-13," Grover said.

"Cool!" Nico happily followed him out of the room.

"Sir" Lucia said shyly "Shouldn't I be watching that film too?"

"No dear, I just needed the young boy to be occupied. Your questions may be answered by Percy later if you wish"

"Actually, I would prefer to watch the film instead." She insisted

"As you wish, after this Thalia may escort you..." Chiron nodded politely before turning his attention to Thalia and a confused Percy, "Perhaps you two should sit down and tell us the whole story."

When they were done, Chiron turned to Mr. D. "We should launch a search for Annabeth immediately."

"I'll go," Thalia and Percy said at the same time.

Lucia noticed how quickly Percy was to volunteer and even though she knew it was stupid and completely insensitive of her, her heart sank a little.

Mr. D sniffed. "Certainly not!"

Thalia and Percy both started complaining, but Mr. D held up his hand. He had a purplish angry fire in his eyes that convinced Lucia that something bad was going to happen if they didn't shut up.

"From what you have told me," Mr. D said, "we have broken even on this escapade. We have, ah, regrettably lost Annie Bell—"

"Annabeth," Percy snapped.

Stop it, she begged her aching chest.

"Yes, yes," he said. "And you procured a small annoying boy and this sun child to replace her. So I see no point risking further half-bloods on a ridiculous rescue. The possibility is very great that this Annie girl is dead."

"She's not." The words spilled from her mouth before she even processed them, a hand flew to Lucia's lips as all eyes turned on her. she squeaked lowly at the sudden attention.

"How do you know Luz?" Percy asked

"Yes, what makes you believe Annabeth may be alive?."

"I dont know." she answered Chiron honestly, "I only sense that I'm going to see her again. When you say her name... I get these premonitions. I can't explain it, it's just a gut feeling but I know she's not dead. I just know."

"Luisa Vazquez? is it?." Mr. D started

"No"

"Look, Luisa Vazquez. if we trusted every random girl's gut feeling we would get nowhere"

"Her father is Apollo" Chiron suggested "Lucia could have the gift of foresight"

"You really know she's alive?" Percy asked urgently, he looked at Lucia with so much desperation.

She took a deep breath "Yes, I know it."

"If it's true and Annabeth may be alive," Chiron sighed in relief. She could tell that Annabeth meant a lot to him as well and she was glad she could make this a little less heavy. "She's very bright. If...if our enemies have her, she will try to play for time. She may even pretend to cooperate."

"That's right," Thalia said. "Luke would want her alive."

"In which case," said Mr. D, "I'm afraid she will have to be smart enough to escape on her own."

Percy got up from the table.

"Percy." Chiron's tone was full of warning but Percy was seemingly too angry to listen.

"You're glad to lose another camper," He said. "You'd like it if we all disappeared!"

Mr. D stifled a yawn. "You have a point?"

"Yeah," He growled. "Just because you were sent here as a punishment doesn't mean you have to be a lazy jerk! This is your civilization, too. Maybe you could try helping out a little!"

For a second, there was no sound except the crackle of the fire. A light reflected in Mr. D's eyes, giving him a sinister look. Lucia froze in fear. He opened his mouth to say something—when Nico burst into the room, followed by Grover.

"SO COOL!" Nico yelled, holding his hands out to Chiron. "You're... you're a centaur!"

"What?!" Lucia exclaimed, staring a little too hard at the blanket.

Chiron managed a nervous smile. "Yes, Mr. Di Angelo, If you please. Though, I prefer to stay in human form in this wheelchair for, ah, first encounters."

"And, whoa!" He looked at Mr. D. "You're the wine dude? No way!"

Dionysus? why is the god of wine and madness in charge of children?

Mr. D turned his eyes away from Percy and gave Nico a look of loathing."The wine dude?"

"Dionysus, right? Oh, wow! I've got your figurine."

"My figurine."

"In my game, Mythomagic. And a holofoil card, too! And even though you've only got like five hundred attack points and everybody thinks you're the lamest god card, I totally think your powers are sweet!"

Lucia's eyes widened. dont smite him dont smite him dont smite him

"Ah." Mr. D seemed truly perplexed, which probably saved Percy's life. "Well, that's... gratifying."

Oh thank gods

"Percy," Chiron said quickly, "You and Thalia go down to the cabins. Inform the campers we'll be playing capture the flag tomorrow evening."

"Capture the flag?" Percy asked. "But we don't have enough—"

"It is a tradition," Chiron said. "A friendly match, whenever the Hunters visit."

"Yeah," Thalia muttered. "I bet it's real friendly."

Chiron jerked his head toward Mr. D, who was still frowning as Nico talked about how many defense points all the gods had in his game. "Run along now," Chiron told them."Thalia if you would take Lucia to the orientation film as well, Please."

"Oh, right," Thalia said. "Come on, Lucia. Percy."

She hauled them out of the Big House before Dionysus could remember that he wanted to kill Percy. She expected Thalia to tell her to follow but once they stepped out of the house the two only started arguing.

"You've already got Ares on your bad side," Thalia reminded me as they trudged toward the cabins. Lucia trailed behind them "You need another immortal enemy?"

"Wait. the god of war?" Lucia asked but they were a little too focused to hear her.

"Sorry," Percy said. "I couldn't help it. It's just so unfair."

"Percy, everything is unfair," Thalia muttered. "Sometimes I wish..." She didn't finish, but her tone was so sad Lucia felt sorry for her.

"We'll get Annabeth back," Percy promised. "I just don't know how yet."

"First I found out that Luke is lost," she said. "Now Annabeth—"

"Don't think like that."

Lucia felt herself become uncomfortable, It was clear that what they were talking about was serious. It was a private conversation and she was intruding, as well as eavesdropping. So she did what she thought was best and while they were occupied she walked away.

She walked for a good ten minutes past a few campers who stared at her, she was looking for a place to just breathe so she found herself going into the forest. Was it the smartest idea? Probably not.

She huffed when she found a clearing and sat on the ground laying her back on a tree, that was until a mean dryad told her to move it or else. She wandered for a while before she fully accepted that she was lost.

"Well." Lucia clapped to herself sarcastically "Congrats Lucia, first day here and you're lost in the woods."

"Who are you talking to?"

Lucia yelped, she turned around to come face to face with the owner of the voice. In front of her stood an Asian boy with a thin build, and glossy black hair, Lucia also noticed that he was pretty attractive.

"Myself..." she replied,

"Are you responding?" He quirked

"No, but who knows what would have happened if you didn't show up" She teased

"It's an honor to be able to save you from insanity" He laughed

Lucia laughed with him before deciding it was probably best to introduce herself to the boy that found her

"Lucia Verano. Daughter of Apollo. I kind of just got here today"

"Ethan Nakamura. Undeclared."

"What does that mean?" She asked

"I can tell that you just got here" He laughed almost bitterly. Lucia didn't notice the tone shift, too focused on the events of the last few hours.

"Yeah, I'm lost" Lucia grumbled "I dont know what the hell is going on or where I am or what's even the point of all of this or like literally anything about anything. It doesn't help that I'm stuck in the middle of the woods now too."

Ethan flashed a big grin at Lucia when he saw her face of frustration. He signaled for her to follow him."Come on. why dont I walk you to Cabin 7 and on the way help you get a little less lost"

Lucia accepted

The cabins were the weirdest collection of buildings Lucia had ever seen. Zeus and Hera's big white-columned buildings, Cabins One and Two, stood in the middle, with five gods' cabins on the left and five goddesses' cabins on the right, so they all made a U around the central green and the barbecue hearth.

Ethan explained a lot to her on their walk, but when she was faced with the cabins she didn't need his guidance anymore. Cabin 7 gleamed like solid gold. It was so bright Ethan avoided it by looking at Lucia. She however gazed at the cabin in awe, blind to how in awe the boy next to her was by her own radiance.

"Lucia!" A familiar voice called for her, Lucia turned to see another boy running towards her. She caught sight of him and instantly built her walls high.

"Luz.." Percy stopped when he caught up in front of her, he hesitated a few moments when he saw how she looked in the golden light of her cabin. "I'm so so sorry Luz. Thalia and I were just so distracted and upset and it's not an excuse but we shouldn't have forgotten you."

"Wouldnt be your first time" She answered

"Hey, Luz. Come on can we talk." He tried "I know you're mad at me for some reason. I want to talk about it."

"Ethan," Lucia said causing Percy's eyebrows to furrow together "Thanks for your help, I think I got it from here though"

"Dont be a stranger golden girl" He winked before walking away towards the Hermes cabin

"Come on my cabin is empty we can talk there" He tried to reach for her hand

"No." She moved away "I have nothing to say to you. I'm going to my cabin"

"Luz" his hand found a place on her arm, he held the same tone he did when he asked her if Annabeth was really alive. urgency. "What did I do? w-why do you hate me?"

Their conversation was postponed when a strawberry blonde haired girl who looked about fifteen ran in front of Lucia, she had the biggest doe blue eyes and a scatter of freckles all over her body. Unlike Lucia, who only had them on her face over her nose and on the apple of her cheeks.

"You're my sister arent you"

"I—"

"No. you dont even have to say anything you're literally glowing I know you are." She laughed melodically "I'm Aurora Davis, call me Rory."

"Lucia Verano." She smiled back nervously

"Rory, why dont you show her the cabin and introduce her to Lee and the rest of them" Percy suggested, yet he sounded averse to his own words.

Aurora practically squealed jumping up and down "Yes! oh my gods come on come on"

"Goodbye luz... I'll talk to you later," he said, before leaving her alone with her sister

☼

LUCIA STRUGGLED TO MIRROR THE RADIANT SMILE her older sister gave her but she sure as Hades tried. It seemed to have worked as she pulled her into their cabin without question.

There were only a few people in the cabin: occupying themselves with reading, writing, and drawing. Bunk beds were on either side of the cabin with a cot in the middle for the injured. Rough cedar beams ribbed the ceiling and the white plaster walls were bare except for a few hooks for coats and weapons. It smelled of clean linen and dried sage. The only decorations were some flower pots on the windowsill, filled with cheerful yellow blooms.

"From the island of Delos. Where Artemis and Apollo were born. They only grow in and around the cabin." Aurora pointed out

Lucia smiled before she kept looking around.

Lucia noticed a bookshelf and Aurora continued to inform her that it kept reference materials about their father Apollo to share with new campers like her. She made a note to raid that bookshelf once she had the chance.

Then something immediately caught Lucia's attention, One of the flowerpots was filled with red and purple hyacinths.

"Hyacinths" She whispered,

"Yes in honor of Hyacinthus," A voice said from behind her, she turned to see a tall lanky boy with dirty blonde hair and bright brown eyes. "You must be Lucia Verano, Percy's friend, right? Lee Fletcher. Head Counselor and your older brother."

"I've never had siblings before " Lucia laughed awkwardly, cursing herself silently for not coming up with something better to say.

"Trust me you have plenty now" Lee reassured "You can have the bunk here"

He walked forward before pointing towards a top bunk "It was Jerry's but he complained too much about bumping his nose with the ceiling whenever he tried to sit up"

"Are you calling me short" Lucia raised an eyebrow

"Shorter than Jerry" Lee shrugged with a mischievous grin

"You can't be more than 4'11" Aurora giggled next to him

"I'm 5'3!" She complained before crossing her arms over her chest in mock anger

The entire cabin burst into a fit of laughter. Lucia found herself laughing with them.

Lee placed a hand on her head like she always does to Nico "Alright Kid, why dont you settle in, for now, talk to anyone, then we see how you are with archery and work until dinner?"

Lucia nodded timidly, she knew she would have to train when she got to Camp Halfblood and that she would be expected to learn like Percy, Thalia, and Annabeth how to fight monsters. Still, she thought of how they looked when they were fighting the Manticore. Like they were made for this, she didn't believe that could ever be her.

Lee must have sensed her worry and insecurities because he patted her head and said "You'll be alright Lu. Come find me when you're ready"

Not even thirty minutes later did Lucia look for her older brother. She spent most of the day practicing archery which she was surprisingly not terrible at. In fact, Lucia found aiming the easiest part of it, the only problem was her terrible form and the fact she held on too tight and almost snapped the bowstring in half... three times.

Lucia was informed of the Archery classes she would have to attend by Lee. He also suggested that after she gets the hang of it she could be assigned shifts in the infirmary which was pretty exciting. She was just relieved she had Lee to help her.

Soon dinner came. The food was excellent. They had a barbecue, pizza, and never-empty goblets of mint strawberry lemonade. The torches and braziers kept the outdoor pavilion warm, but they all had to sit with their cabin mates after giving their offerings to the gods. Lucia gave Apollo a chunk of her Hamburger.

She was happy that she had so many siblings. She learned quickly that there was never a dull moment around them. Which was fitting, considering they were all the children of light.

Percy was alone at the Poseidon table. Thalia also sat alone at the Zeus table, but they couldn't sit together because of Camp rules which Lucia thought were unnecessarily exclusive.

The Hephaestus, Ares, and Hermes cabins had a few people each.

Nico sat with the Hermes cabin with Ethan. She remembered when he explained that campers always got stuck in the Hermes cabin if their Olympian parent was unknown.

The 'twin' brothers ( apparently they weren't actual twins) Lucia witnessed picking the camp shop's door seemed to be trying to convince Nico that poker was a much better game than Mythomagic. She was just glad Nico had no cash to gamble or she'd probably have to storm over there and pull on their ears for trying to steal from him.

The table that seemed to be having the greatest time was the Artemis table. The Hunters drank and ate and laughed like one big happy family. Zoe sat at the head. She didn't laugh as much as the others, but she did smile from time to time. Her silver lieutenant's band glittered in the dark braids of her hair. Lucia thought she looked a lot prettier when she smiled.

Bianca di Angelo seemed to be having a great time. She was trying to learn how to arm wrestle from a big girl who'd picked a fight with the Ares kid on the basketball court. The bigger girl was beating her every time, but Bianca didn't seem to mind.

When they'd finished eating, Chiron made a toast to the gods and formally welcomed the Hunters of Artemis. The clapping was pretty halfhearted.

Then he announced the "good will" capture-the-flag game for tomorrow night, which got a lot better reception.

Afterward, everyone trailed back to their cabins for an early, winter lights out. Lucia was exhausted, she always had a direct sleep schedule but thanks to Aurora and Lee she learned that it was because most Apollo kids rose and fell with the sun. Which explained why it was always impossible for her to take a nap mid-day or stay up for any late-night show her stepmother had. Before she knew it, she fell asleep.

A girl with curled blonde hair and grey eyes was on a dark hillside, shrouded in fog. Lucia immediately felt claustrophobic, she couldn't see the sky above—just a close, heavy darkness, as if she were in a cave. Lucia begged for some sunlight.

Annabeth, Lucia realized it was, struggled up the hill. Old broken Greek columns of black marble were scattered around, as though something had blasted a huge building to ruins.

"Thorn!" Annabeth cried. "Where are you? Why did you bring me here?" She scrambled over a section of broken wall and came to the crest of the hill.

She gasped.

There was a blonde boy. And he was in pain.

He was crumpled on the rocky ground, trying to rise. The blackness seemed to be thicker around him, fog swirling hungrily.

His clothes were in tatters and his face was scratched and drenched with sweat, "Annabeth!" He called. "Help me! Please!"

She ran forward.

No Dont! Annabeth no! Lucia yelled, even though she had no idea why she was yelling, it was useless however as her voice didn't work in the dream.

Annabeth had tears in her eyes. She reached down like she wanted to touch the boy's face, but at the last second, she hesitated.

"What happened?" she asked.

"They left me here," He groaned. "Please. It's killing me."

Lucia couldn't see what was wrong with him. He seemed to be struggling against an invisible curse, as though the fog were crushing him to death.

"Why should I trust you, Luke?" Annabeth asked. Her voice was filled with hurt.

"You shouldn't," Luke said. "I've been terrible to you. But if you don't help me, I'll die."

Then the darkness above Luke began to crumble, like a cavern roof in an earthquake. Huge chunks of black rock began falling. Annabeth rushed in just as a crack appeared, and the whole ceiling dropped. She held it somehow—tons of rock. She kept it from collapsing on her and Luke just with her own strength. It was impossible. She shouldn't have been able to do that.

Luke rolled free, gasping. "Thanks," he managed.

"Help me hold it," Annabeth groaned.

Luke caught his breath. His face was covered in grime and sweat. He rose unsteadily.

"I knew I could count on you." He began to walk away as the trembling blackness threatened to crush Annabeth.

"HELP ME!" she pleaded,

"Oh, don't worry," Luke said. "Your help is on the way. It's all part of the plan. In the meantime, try not to die."

The ceiling of darkness began to crumble again, pushing Annabeth against the ground.

Annabeth!

Lucia sat bolt upright in bed, she was relieved she wasnt Jerry and was short enough to not break her nose on the ceiling. She gripped at the linen sheets trying to calm herself down. There was no sound in the cabin except the weirdly harmonious snores of her siblings. The clock on her iPod read just after midnight. She quickly felt uneasy.

why her? why would she dream of Annabeth?

She had no idea whatsoever, but she was sure of one thing: it was time to talk to Percy.