[faciam quodlibet quod necesse est]

Despite being mentally connected to a young man posing as a primordial god, Tessa was having a pretty decent day. The investigation had found its rhythm with Dale's new information, and the Library of Athena became the hub for not only reports on the Masks, but also the war effort developing at camp. It seemed that anytime Tessa left the Library to run an errand, another camper was rushing in with scrolls or files to deliver or study up on. It was almost incredible; the only other time that camp was this active was in preparation for tournaments or big games of capture-the-flag.

However, even the sunny days had their shadows as well. Only two days before, Mark and Reese had nearly maimed one another in a fight. It was unlike the both of them to the point that Tessa didn't even recognize both boys when she, Kaden, and Imogen had been passing the amphitheater. Since then, Reese and Mark skirted around one another, so as to not incite any more tension, Tessa presumed.

Tessa sighed, dragging a hand through her dark hair as she bounded down one of camp's many trails. Somehow, tension always wove its way into Tessa's group of friends the way a snake woke through a meadow: silently, stealthily, striking at the very worst moment. If this tension didn't cease, it'd suffocate them all.

Tessa tore her attention from her apprehensions, delivering her errands. She made a stop at the Forges to place on order for fifty new shields, had a chat with Parker and Sitara of Athena to work with the Brooks twins and Jesse on defensive strategies, and asked the nereids in Long Island Sound to monitor the coastline for any suspicious activity. Once the deeds were done, she trekked back to the Library of Athena. She was eager to be back among the pulpit of strategy, and apparently the pulpit of strategy had something new to spit at out at her.

"Do you have anything else for me?" Tessa asked upon reaching the main level of the Library. Her friends dotted their respective desks and work areas, and others were scattered amongst the bookshelves.

Imogen tore her gaze from the scroll she was reading, tilting her head to face Tessa. "I've got nothing. Amelie?"

Amelie was hunkered down beneath a stack of ancient-looking spellbooks. The daughter of Hecate poked her head out from the stack, her kaleidoscopic eyes glazed over from reading so much, and shook her head. Then, she returned to her equations and Tessa backed away slowly; Amelie was dedicated to tearing down the barrier surrounding Aether's lair, as well as tracking its next location.

Seeing as she had nothing left to do, Tessa wandered over to the investigation board, where Reese was scribbling new leads and possibilities. She cast a look over the son of Apollo, noting how his knuckles were covered in bandages and there were a few new cuts peppering his fair complexion.

"How you holding up, Rocky?" Tessa folded her arms, surveying the board for a moment before gauging Reese's reaction.

Reese gave a grumbly-sort of sigh, casting a tired look at Tessa before looking back at the board. "If you think I look bad, you should see the other guy."

Tessa swatted Reese's arm, suddenly stern. "Don't."

Reese merely shrugged. He walked away from the board, and Tessa watched him carefully as he did. There was something off in the way Reese was carrying himself, like he was baring a burden on his back.

Before Tessa could make much of it, footsteps filled the air and Kaden entered the room, looking comically steamed while brandishing a stack of papers like a sword. "I swear, I'm done trying to use the fax machine downstairs. It's ancient."

Imogen snorted. "Shouldn't that be our specialty?"

Kaden shot Imogen a look, but the daughter of Cupid only laughed and swiveled back around. Kaden handed Reese the files, casting Tessa a look, to which the daughter of Poseidon quickly looked away.

Since that night on the beach, Tessa was careful not to dwell on matters where Kaden was concerned. Her feelings for him were scattered, unable to be brought together again seeing as there were a million other things demanding Tessa's attention at the moment. And yet he still captivated her with a look, still enchanted her with words, still resonated in her heart.

But it was a different sort of resonation. It was one of longing, of nostalgia. It was the feeling you got when you wanted something back that was hopelessly lost, with little chance of ever coming back to you.

Tessa tore herself out of her thoughts as Reese flipped through Kaden's files, then stopped dead in his tracks. "Kaden, did Eli send this to you?"

"Yeah, why?" Kaden responded.

Reese didn't answer, he just crossed to one of the computer screens and tapped away at it until suddenly, a digital version of the report was displayed on each screen. "This is why."

Everyone got up to stand around Reese and the central monitor—save Amelie, who couldn't be bothered. Tessa read the message on the board, frowning. "Aether's mercenary? I didn't even know Aether had mercenaries."

"Can we call him Luke?" Kaden countered. "Calling him Aether still makes the whole thing feel really odd."

"How else would you describe this situation?" Tessa quipped. "But really, why does Aether have mercenaries?"

Reese narrowed his eyes at the screen, and with some help from Kaden, they got an image on the screen. Only this time, it was one that Tessa recognized.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me," Tessa demanded, staring at the image of the mugger that she'd pummeled only a few weeks ago. "Him?"

Imogen, Kaden, and Reese all watched Tessa incredulously.

"You know him?" Imogen asked, pointing a finger at the screen skeptically.

"He tried to mug me," Tessa explained. "He's a petty thief that frequents the area where I...lived."

"Well, apparently, he's not a petty thief at all." Kaden responded, pulling up more information on the screen. "Apparently, he's a mercenary and...part storm spirit."

"What?" Tessa croaked.

"Regardless, he's got information," Reese cleared his throat. "Tessa, you want this one?"

"Definitely," Tessa said, eyeing the image on the screen. Naturally, everyone she encountered had to be connected to this world of hers. "I've got some choice words for him."

"If that's the case, then I'm going with you," Kaden said, meeting Tessa's gaze with a feeling like lightning.

Tessa made a sound like a cat being strangled. "Why?"

Kaden was resolute. "Because I know the kind of choice words you're thinking of and we will get nothing done with that sailor's mouth of yours."

Tessa narrowed her eyes. "Careful, Gray, or they'll be directed at you next."

Kaden grinned, a mischievous look in his eyes. "I'll take my chances." He addressed Reese and Imogen. "Give us two hours."

"Make sure you both focus for those two hours," Imogen called.

Tessa tensed as she headed towards the stairs, feeling like every nerve had gone rigid. She glanced over at Kaden, who, judging by the way he avoided her gaze, had probably felt the same.

~~

A half hour later, Tessa and Kaden stood on the subway of New York City, headed up towards Central Park. The car wasn't packed, but Tessa insisted on standing, holding on loosely to the pole. Maybe if she was lucky enough, the train would halt abruptly and send her flying forward, so she could hit her head and be out of this misery. Anything would be better than the awkward silence that she and Kaden were currently enduring.

Tessa huffed a breath, blowing a flyway strand of hair out of her face, and strained to listen to the gibberish of the announcements. They had one stop left, thank the Gods.

"Did you take the subway often?" Kaden asked, and Tessa snapped her head around to face him. He was eyeing the different people seated in the car, with their briefcases and backpacks, friends and children.

Tessa blinked, knowing that he meant in her time spent MIA from camp. "Not that often."

"Why not?" Kaden questioned. "Seems like a crucial part of being a normal New-Yorker."

Tessa shot him a look at that. "Anything but normal, Kaden." She glanced out the window, watching as the tunnels blurred past. "My job's only a few blocks from my apartment. I lived by Central Park, so I always had places to go to relax and hang out. The only time I'd really take the subway was when I needed something downtown."

"Like what?" Kaden asked.

Tessa sighed, suddenly sheepish. "There's this Chinese restaurant that I'd go to a lot."

Kaden knit his eyebrows together. "Why'd you go all the way downtown when you could have it delivered?"

Tessa looked away, suddenly interested in the other people in their car. The real reason why she'd go all the way down to that restaurant every once in a while, when the feelings of longing for her old life were strong, was because it was right in the epicenter of some of her favorite memories. She'd meander her way into Washington Square Park and on the walk there, she'd look around and see figments of her past flit about around her: trips with Kaden or trips with their friends down the streets, racing down to find an eidolon with Reese, searching for Halloween costumes with Mark and Dale. It made her feel closer to them all in her distance, but of course, she could never stay too long.

"It was cheaper," Tessa lied as the train came to a halt. The doors hissed open and Tessa and Kaden hurried out and up onto the streets.

Spring had begun to weave its way through Central Park. Trees were blossoming with buds of emerald leaves, and sunlight fell onto the water of the streams and small waterfalls of the park, making it seem like jewels made up the waves. Everywhere Tessa looked, she could see people. People enjoying the subtle warmth, one another's company. Once upon a time ago, Tessa and Kaden had come to Central Park whenever they could, as a way to get away from the hubbub of being a demigod.

A chill struck Tessa at that, but she wasn't sure if it was the wind or the pain of the reckoning. She and Kaden started down the trails, but it seemed that they wouldn't have to look for too long. Because sprawled on a hill behind the Met was Tessa's mugger.

Tessa started for him, wrath already beginning to swirl through her veins, when Kaden stuck out his arm, cutting off her warpath.

"Not so fast," Kaden tutted. "What's the plan?"

Tessa squinted at Kaden. "The plan is I go in there and pummel the answers out of him, while you use your charmspeak to actually get said answers out of him."

Kaden quirked an eyebrow. "Good cop, bad cop?"

"Exactly," Tessa breathed, a sense of familiarity settling over her. This was common territory: she and Kaden were just partners on a battlefield, executing a mission. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Then by all means," Kaden gestured towards the hill, and Tessa nodded to him in mock thanks as she stalked for the mugger.

"Working on your tan?" Tessa called, stepping onto the grass.

The mugger jolted on the grass, springing into a sitting position. He faced Tessa with a look of panic on his face. "Oh, no," He muttered. "What're you doing here?"

"Tying up loose ends," Tessa said smoothly. "And you happen to be one of them."

The mugger blinked, looking around as if to check for eavesdroppers. "Did he tell you to find me?"

Tessa felt like she'd been hit between the eyes. "What?"

"You know, the guy," The mugger said, his words rushed together. "The one who paid me to follow you around."

"Aether?" Kaden asked. "We know you were his mercenary."

The mugger blanched, and began to fiddle with his ratty fingerless gloves. "Look, I don't know nothing about any guys named Aether, but if that's connected, then it makes sense."

Tessa narrowed her eyes, trying to make some sense of the situation. "Who paid you, then?"
"I don't know his name," The mugger put his hands up in surrender. "He's a wiry-looking dude, but we only ever met under the cover of darkness. He says you're a part of some plot."

"What plot?" Tessa demanded.

The mugger flinched. "I don't know! He says that with you out of the way, the world is his for the taking."

Tessa looked at Kaden, and a look of mutual confusion passed between them. "What did he pay you to do?"

The mugger chewed on his lip, avoiding Tessa's obstinate gaze. "Follow you around, basically just watch you."

"Stalk me?" Tessa insisted, her heart pounding.

The mugger hesitated, but nodded. "I didn't want to. I didn't want anything to do with this world that you all are a part of, but he threatened me because of what I am. Said something about serving my superior."

"You're part storm spirit," Kaden confirmed. "What superior could that be?"

The mugger met Kaden's gaze, and a look of absolute fear washed over him. "Pray you never find out, son of Venus. Pray you never find out."

Tessa inhaled sharply, holding a hand up as if to call time-out on this whole situation. "This was a waste of time." She turned on her heel.

"Wait!" The mugger cried out. "I can help you. Let me help you."

"Unless you know something actually useful, no. No, you can't," Kaden said brusquely.

"You want information?" The mugger sounded desperate now. "I have information! Information to help you on your quest!"

Tessa glanced over her shoulder. "I'm listening."

The mugger paled, but spoke. "Your friend, the son of Apollo. Tell him that what he's struggling with connects to this greater mission. The answers to all that you seek lie in the Garden."

"The Garden..." Tessa's eyes widened.

"That's what Mallory told us," Kaden spoke, an edge of realization in his voice. "Where's this garden."

"Where day meets night, where the earth meets the skies," The mugger rambled.

Tessa resisted the urge to stamp her foot on the ground in frustration. "Where is that?"

The mugger shook his head. "I don't know, but that's all I know. But please, I need your help now."

"Why?" Tessa asked.

The mugger wrung his hands, getting to his feet. "If he knows that I helped you...he'll drag me back to that place. That terrible, terrible place."

"What place?" Kaden insisted. "Aether's lair?"

"I said I don't know nobody named Aether, but this place is bad. It's where T—it's where my superior is imprisoned. They'll force me to serve again, and when I deny them, they'll kill me." The mugger's voice was trembling now, and he was so unlike the man Tessa often encountered on the streets that for a moment, she wondered if they had the right guy.

Tessa weighed his words for a moment, looking around. If he was lying, they couldn't bring him into either one of the camps. But he looked so afraid, so genuinely terrified for his life that Tessa knew in her soul that she couldn't just leave him for dead.

And then it hit her.

"You're part storm spirit, right?" The mugger nodded. "Can you change into your true form?"

The mugger thought for a moment. "Yes, but it would take some getting used to."

"Then head to Chicago," Tessa instructed. "It's the Windy City for a reason. Plenty of storm spirits live there. You'll blend right in."

The mugger's face lit up. "Thank you."

Tessa nodded shortly, unsure of what else to say. The mugger hurried off of the hill and disappeared out of sight, leaving Tessa and Kaden to mull over all that had just happened.

"What do you think he meant by all that?" Kaden asked, glancing at Tessa.

Tessa shook her head, her hair flicking in the breeze. The warmth had evaded Central Park now, and even though the sun was shining right on her, she only felt cold settle into her bones. "I think it means that we've got more to worry about than just Aether and the Masks."

~~

Something that Kaden and Tessa both had in common was the philosophy that there was no problem on the face of the Earth that couldn't be mulled over some form of food. And so as they left Central Park, Kaden ushered Tessa towards a frozen yogurt shop to drown their sorrows.

"Who do we think this other guy is?" Tessa asked, poking at her birthday-cake flavored yogurt.

Kaden made a considerate face around his spoon, before removing it from his mouth so he could speak. "My money's on the guy that we saw in Aether's lair, leading the Masks."

Tessa quirked a brow. "What makes you say that?"

Kaden shook his head, scooping up some of his strawberry-flavored yogurt. "He was wiry-looking. And he's connected to Aether, while still maintaining some sort of command over the Masks. Judging from the fact that Aether's interested in you, he might have been the one to hire the mercenaries to stalk you."

Tessa shivered at the thought of it, tearing her gaze from Kaden to the streets before them. They'd been walking aimlessly for the past twenty minutes, frozen yogurts in hand, but Tessa couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching them. Maybe it was just the knowledge that someone had been watching her for a while, or maybe it was something else entirely, Tessa wasn't sure she wanted to find out.

Tessa groaned, tossing the remains of her yogurt into a trashcan. "Why is it that our leads only ever lead us to more confusion?"

Kaden nudged Tessa. "We'll figure it out. When have we ever faced a problem that we couldn't solve?"

Tessa searched Kaden's sincere emerald gaze. "Now, as a matter of fact." And approximately a year and a half ago, when we decided to break up.

Kaden sighed, stopping in his tracks. Tessa stopped to look up at him. There was something intimate in how Kaden looked at her, but in a sense of familiarity. This was a look of sincerity, sympathy, and kindness; the looks he would give her after a long day of training or a bad day in general, where he'd envelop her in a bear hug and help ease her nerves with a movie marathon in his villa back in New Rome.

"Tessa, do you remember the speech I gave back in New Rome? After the earthquake?" Kaden asked.

Tessa nodded. "The unconquerable speech."

"Exactly," Kaden conceded. "When I said that we are unconquerable, I didn't just mean Camp Jupiter. I meant you. I meant me. I meant Reese and Dale and Mark and Imogen and all of us. So long as we have hope, there's no enemy on this earth that could dream of defeating us. Simus invicti."

"We are unconquerable," Tessa translated, her voice soft. She pressed her lips into a thin line. "Kaden Gray, you may have a future as a motivational speaker yet."

The slightest of smiles laced Kaden's lips, illuminating his features. It was a smile that tugged at Tessa's heartstrings, because it was the one he wore most of the time. A knowing smile, an easy smile, the one that he wore while overseeing his legion and walking through camp.

And then it was gone. Kaden's smile melted from his face, and he took the slightest of steps back, as if realizing that he'd done something wrong.

"Kaden?" Tessa asked, trying to read the look on his face.

Kaden shook his head. "Sorry, I just...don't worry about it. We should get back to camp."

Tessa, heart constricting, nodded. "Let's go."

They'd barely made it down the block when Tessa felt like the world slipped out from under her. The streets of New York City were gone, replaced with a dusty cavern in the heat of battle, surrounded by a ring of fire. A boy was kneeling on the cavern floor, trying to heal a girl in silvery clothing...a Huntress. When the boy looked up, Tessa felt like lightning had struck her down the spine.

"Jared Knight," Tessa's voice sounded like she was speaking underwater.

Feeling like she was moving through a dream, Tessa turned to face the central combat: a blood-covered man fighting a dark-haired girl with a quiver of silver arrows. Another Huntress, but if that was Jared Knight, then this Huntress was—

"Mom," Tessa breathed.

And just like that, Tessa was back to New York. She felt like she'd just fallen fifty feet only to be swept up by a tidal wave: disoriented and nauseated.

"Tessa?" Kaden's voice was filled with concern. "Was it the mental bond?"

Tessa managed enough energy to nod.

"What did you see?" Kaden knelt down, and Tessa realized that she was slumped on the ground.

The images were fresh in Tessa's mind, practically glowing with her rage. Tessa had known that her mother knew Jared Knight, but Sera Brennan had assured her daughter that Jared Knight had no importance whatsoever. As of late, however, that belief seemed to be held in error.

"My mother was a Huntress," Tessa began numbly.

"But we knew that already," Kaden drew his eyebrows together. "Did you see her in your vision?"

Tessa nodded. "She was a Huntress, but she never told me why she left."

Kaden was silent. "Tessa, what did you see?"

In that moment, Tessa decided that fury was like a sleeping dragon. Slow to provoke, but once it was awakened, it was quick to escalate until flames were spewed.

"A piece of the puzzle," Tessa managed, getting to her feet. "One that the goddess of the hunt knows the answer to."

~~

Tessa hadn't been to Mount Olympus in years. Even though it was close enough for her to, living in Manhattan, she never had any purpose to go. Visit her father, maybe, but gods were gods. They had their own duties to attend to, and despite being their children, demigods were not always permitted to visit the Palace of the Olympians. So as Tessa and Kaden stormed into the lobby of the Empire State Building, Tessa could only imagine what the looks would be on the faces of those that lived six hundred floors up.

Tessa, unfazed by the tourists flocking around the lobby, marched to the desk. "Six-hundredth floor."

The security guard looked up from his game of sudoku, as if Tessa were a fly buzzing around his ear. "What?"

"Key to the six-hundredth floor. Cough it up." Tessa said flatly, leaning against the counter.

The security guard sighed. "I don't know what you're on, girlie, but there isn't a six-hundredth floor."

Tessa sighed softly. "I hate to do this to you, but I've gotta call in reinforcements. Remember: you made me do this." And she stepped aside, letting Kaden take the reins.

Half a minute later, Kaden was handing Tessa the keycard to the elevator. "Your spoils."

Tessa took the keycard the way a wealthy person would take the keys to a brand new car. She smiled up at Kaden in amusement, and then the both of them hurried to the elevator, squeezing past a group of tourists and shutting the doors of the elevator before they could enter. Tessa swiped the keycard, and the elevator shot up into the sky.

"What do you plan to say to her?" Kaden asked from across the elevator.

Tessa thought about it for a moment, surprised to find herself not consumed with rage. "Not sure. But I'll try to keep myself from getting incinerated on the spot."

"As long as I don't have to remind you."

The elevator rattled to a stop, and then the gilded doors slid open, revealing the pathway to the palace of the gods. Tessa and Kaden hurried down the pathway, and upon entering the gates of Olympus, they already began to stir attention their way. Godlings and nymphs watched as they sauntered down the stone paths like they too lived there, whispering and gaping. Tessa caught one nymph's sour gaze and smirked as she entered the throne room.

"Now or never," Kaden whispered as the doors to the throne room shut behind them.

The throne-room of the Gods was immaculate, with sparkling columns and twelve glimmering thrones for each Olympian. The hearth blazed in the center of the room, and an arched dome hung above the room, covered in moving constellations as if it opened straight into the night sky.

"Lady Artemis," Tessa called, unsure as to how exactly to summon a goddess. "I demand an audience."

Silence. And then in a flash of silver light, a young girl appeared to Tessa, no more than sixteen years old. Her auburn hair was pulled into a ponytail, and her arms were folded over her silvery hunting clothing.

"Tessa Brennan," Artemis spoke, her voice light, but not without godly supremacy. "We meet again."

"I have something to ask you," Tessa began, meeting the goddess's gaze from across the room. "About my mother."

Artemis's moon yellow eyes flickered as she approached. "So you know about her true story."

"If by true story, you mean her being a hunter, then yes." Tessa confirmed.

Artemis quirked a brow. "There's more to it."

"Which is why I'm here," Tessa said cautiously. "I want to know why my mother left the Hunters."

For a moment, the only noise came from the flames of the hearth. Then Artemis averted her gaze to Kaden. "Leave us."

Kaden didn't want to be told again. He gave Tessa a reassuring glance, then left the throne room.

"Tessa, your mother didn't leave the Hunters. That implies her own free will. In fact, she wanted to stay." Artemis explained, circling the hearth slowly.

"Then why couldn't she?" Tessa asked.

Artemis stared into the flames for a while, then flicked her gaze to Tessa. "There is more to this story that I believe you understand, Tessa. To hear it means to upheave your entire life."

"Do you think I'm afraid of a little challenge?" Tessa questioned. "Because frankly, I've done a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to challenges in my life, don't you think?"

Artemis's look was cold, from the dark side of the moon she controlled. "Drop it, Tessa. If you know what's good for me."

"As long as my friends are being put in danger," Tessa took a step towards the goddess. "As long as people keep dying," Another step. "And as long as I am alive," She was right in front of Artemis now. "I will never drop something that could turn the tide."

Artemis inclined her chin. "Remember who you're speaking to, Tessa. I'm a goddess. You're a half-blood."

"I may be a half-blood," Tessa concurred. "But I'm also a hero. And heroes don't stop until the war is won."

"This is a battle you do not want to fight," Artemis snapped. "I will not tell you."

"Why not? Are you afraid?" Tessa taunted.

Artemis's eyes flickered with silver fire. "Careful, half-blood."

Tessa met the goddess's gaze with equal flame. "I'll take my chances."

Artemis narrowed her eyes. "It isn't my story to tell. It's your mother's. If you want to know why she left, then ask her."

Frustration filled Tessa to the brim. "Fine. Then answer this: does it have to do with a man named Jared Knight?"

Artemis froze. "How do you—"

"I'm smarter than some of you immortals seem to think." Tessa smiled thinly. "He's involved in this investigation. And actually, he mentioned something about the moon taking his son away from him. Know anything about that?"

Artemis had seemingly become stone, and in that moment, Tessa didn't see a goddess. Instead, a frightened girl looked back at her, worried about some secret coming to light.

"I can't say. Your mother was explained but Tessa," Artemis began. "While I admire your sheer will, the truth will interfere with that this time around. You'll find out secrets that you'll wish would have remained buried. And you'll have only yourself to blame."

Tessa nodded slightly. "If it's necessary, I'll do it. I don't care about the side effects."

Artemis looked away from Tessa, but judging by the sound of the heavy doors swinging open behind her, Tessa assumed that her audience with the goddess was over. And yet, as the daughter of Poseidon emerged from the throne room of the gods, she wondered if this new path, this new lead, was going to be worth it after all.