[auribus teneo lupum]

Tessa wasn't sure what she'd do if Poseidon wasn't her godly parent. She'd become as much of a part of the sea as it was of her. Such that even with years and years separating her from the waves, she always found her way back in times of trouble. And right now, that was one of those times.

It was a quiet night and Tessa reveled in it. She was sat atop a rock, hugging her knees to her chest, watching as the tide crept in silently and then rushed back from the shore. Crickets were chirping in the trees, and every once in a while, a monster would growl from within the forest as it lumbered across. Stars were twinkling in the sky above her, and as silly as it seemed, the constellations dotting the sky made her feel that she wasn't alone on this beach.

How many times had she fled to this beach when she couldn't sleep? How many times had she basked in the starlight, trying to reason her way through her dilemmas? It felt like too many to name. But as of now, the stars and the stories they told were her advisors, her friends.

Tessa's sullen gaze crept over to a part of the surf that once upon a time ago, her father stood on. It had been the first time that Tessa had met Poseidon, on the eve of her big quest, and he'd advised her that the sea would be with her at all times and was always at her disposal. He'd given Tessa just enough hope to embark on her quest, but now, Tessa wondered if he'd know about her absence in the future, had tried to give her a little tidbit of reassurance that no matter how hard she tried, the sea would always be her home.

Tessa sighed, her eyes on the dark horizon. She lost herself in her thoughts, her worries, her self-reprimanding, until she wasn't entirely sure where she was. She wondered whether or not her coming back was a good idea, or if her leaving was a worse one. She wondered about Reese and Mark and Madi and Kaden and how civil war seemed to be spreading through camp. And finally, she wondered about Dale. Was she scared? Was she hurt? Was she dead?

Tessa took a shaky breath, forcing that last thought through her head. Dale was strong, she'd be all right. Even if Aether and the Masks tried to...to turn her into one of them. She'd wreak hell upon them all before they even got a chance.

"How did I know you'd be here?"

Tessa turned, a pang in her heart, to see Kaden standing where the trail met the beach. He looked tired, but Tessa knew that behind his easy smile and calm composure, he was just as stressed as she was.

"Because you know me," Tessa exhaled, turning her attention back to the shore.

Kaden cleared his throat. "I, uh, I stopped by your cabin to drop off some files but when you weren't there, I assumed you'd be here."

"What files?" Tessa asked, glancing over her shoulder at the manila folder in his hands.

Kaden walked over to her, handing Tessa the file. She took it gingerly, flipping it open. "The full report on Jared Knight. If we're right about our hunch, you should know everything you can."

Tessa thumbed through the transcripts of his interview, possibilities on what it all meant. "This guy thinks I'm bringing his son back to him? Who took him to begin with?"

"He said something about the moon," Kaden reported. "So, we think it could mean Artemis, or the Hunters."

"Have you asked Kassie?" Tessa knit her eyebrows together, looking at Kaden. He apparently didn't hear her; his eyes had taken on a dreamy quality, like he was looking at Tessa with longing. "Kaden?"

Kaden snapped out of whatever trance he'd put himself in. "Yeah, sorry, I asked her and she said she'd look into it for us."

Tessa nodded, shutting the file folder, and setting it beside her on the rock. "Sounds like a plan." Her voice was silent. "Now may I ask why you look so distracted?"

"Me?" Kaden croaked. "I don't look distracted."

Tessa arched a pointed eyebrow. Kaden avoided her gaze.

"Mind if I join you?" Kaden pointed to the rock.

"Are you avoiding my question?"

"Yes."

"Then knock yourself out."

Kaden hopped onto the rock, leaving about a half foot of space between him and Tessa. For a moment, things were just silent between them. They watched the waves, the stars, in complete silence, as if the other wasn't there. And suddenly, the years began to fade away. If Tessa pretended, this was just another night at camp where she'd been chased out of her cabin by nightmares. Kaden had come to find her, and they'd spend the night just talking and stargazing until they started to get tired. Then they'd go back to their cabins and meet up at breakfast the next morning, ready to face another day in the life at Camp Half-Blood.

Tessa heaved a shaky sigh. What she would give for just one day like that again. What she would give for the safety, the assurance, the ease.

"You miss it too?" Kaden asked, snapping Tessa's attention to him. He tore his emerald gaze from the ocean to her, looking at her inquisitively.

Tessa hesitated, but nodded. "More than anything."

Kaden nodded along, wetting his lips. "It's twisted, isn't it? We were in just as much danger back then as we are now but at least..."

"At least we were all together," Tessa finished, her heart feeling like it was being put through a wringer. "But now, Dale's captured, and the four of us are in civil war against one another."

"Could be worse," Kaden tried. "One of us could have been in an alternate universe."

Tessa winced, flashing Kaden a look. "Not funny."

"Wasn't trying to be."

"At least you're honest."

Tessa blew out a sigh, eyes on the horizon. "What happened to us, Kade? We all used to be so in sync with one another. And now, here we are, a house divided."

"Dale kept us united," Kaden admitted. "She kept all of our egos and tempers in check. We are the children of gods, Tess. We only have so much self-control. And once Dale was taken from us...we had no one to really blame but ourselves."

"It was Reese's fault," Tessa grumbled, resting her chin on her arms.

"You don't mean that, Tessa," Kaden chided. "It was an impossible situation."

Tessa shut her eyes. "I just...I can't stop replaying it in my head. And every time I see her dragged away, I wonder if maybe there was more we could have done." She sighed. "I don't know who to blame. Reese, for giving the order. The Masks, for taking her. Me, for getting so mad."

"Well, that's why we're here now," Kaden continued, such sincerity in his voice that Tessa opened her eyes and turned to face him. "We'll find a way to stop the Masks and get Dale back. Just like we did with Mark and Orion, and Reese and the General."

Tessa held his gaze, then shook her head. "Some pattern we've got here. Who's next? You? Me?"

Kaden pressed his lips into a thin line, a sad look in his eyes. "I think we both were taken from those we love too, Tessa." His fingers suddenly grazed hers, and an arc of electricity ran up Tessa's arm.

Tessa searched his eyes, and maybe it was the exhaustion, or the desperation, or the all-out frustration she'd harbored for so long, but she found herself leaning in just as Kaden did.

And then the reckoning. Tessa fell back to reality, recoiling from Kaden's near touch. She snatched her hand away, fingers trembling. She couldn't do this. Not now. Not like this.

"I should get some sleep," Tessa rambled, scrambling off the rock. She grabbed the file from where it was resting precariously, her heart pounding with each movement.

"Tessa, wait!" Kaden called, but Tessa fled down the trail back to camp like Cinderella at midnight. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears as she ran, unrelenting until she the omega of cabins.

She was an absolute imbecile. She shouldn't have just opened up like that, she should have just taken Kaden's file and left. Having him so close to her, just like old times...it opened up a wound that she'd hoped had closed.

Tessa cursed under her breath, trudging through the central green to her cabin. Empty for so long, but now her temporary home once more. She was almost to the front steps when suddenly, she was no longer walking to her cabin, but a Greek rotunda on a mountainside. Delphi.

Tessa's nerves seized, but just as quickly as the image appeared in her eyes, it was back. She was back. She was still in Camp Half-Blood, and nothing had changed.

A hand on Tempest's hilt, Tessa looked around carefully. There was nothing suspicious in sight, but she still didn't feel like nothing was wrong. She almost dared something to jump out at her, just to prove her worries right. But alas, there was nothing.

Tessa exhaled in relief, but hurried into her cabin nonetheless. There was something in the air, something like a voice on the wind taunting her of what was to come.

~~

The next morning, Tessa was desperate to release the nerves she'd harbored that night. After a hasty breakfast, she hurried down to the arena, desperate to get some training in before classes began for the day. However, someone had beaten her to it.

Firing at an array of targets was Reese Hale, exactly the person that Tessa didn't want to see at the moment. She stifled a groan and turned on her heel, but apparently, her luck for the day had run out.

An arrow zoomed past her face, a few inches from making contact. Tessa jolted, freezing in place. Incredulously, she turned back to face the blond archer, who was donning a signature smug look.

"I'm sorry, are you trying to kill me?" Tessa demanded, her hand creeping towards Tempest's hilt.

"If I wanted to kill you, I'd at least make it a fair fight first," Reese called. "But no, I wanted to stop you and couldn't think of a faster way."

"You could have asked me to stop like a normal person." Tessa rebuffed, folding her arms across her chest.

"You would have ignored me. Don't try denying it, you would have." Reese said pointedly.

Tessa bristled, but met Reese halfway across the arena. "What do you want?"

Reese held Tessa's derisive gaze. "Why have you been avoiding me?"

Tessa made a face. "Really?"

"Yes, really. You've never been mad at me for this long before. I'm starting to get worried." Reese scratched the back of his neck.

Tessa scoffed. "You're ridiculous. I'm leaving."

"If this is still about Dale, I thought you would have seen my side of it by now instead of pigeonholing yourself." Reese called, stopping Tessa in place. She whirled around.

"You still don't get it, do you? Dale needed our help and you just whisked us back to safety."

"You would have done the same thing."

"Is she nothing to you?"

"Am I?"

Tessa and Reese stared one another down, fury in each of their gazes. Tessa was seething, practically fuming. How dare he try to—

"I know you're hurt, and I know you miss her. I miss her too. You don't think I've been regretting my decision since I made it? You don't think I've wanted to go back there and save her?" Reese huffed a breath.

Tessa pressed her lips together. "Are you finished?"

"No," Reese denied. "I'm sick of us treating each other like enemies."

"It's been one day."

"Still. You, me, Mark, and Kaden all have a job to do and we can't do it by treating one another like enemies." Reese raised his chin. "But I know you and your pride, so I have a proposition for you."

"Oh, really?" Tessa rolled her eyes. "Of what sort?"

Reese grinned. "You'll see." He marched back over to the targets, and held out his bow. "You get one shot. If you hit the bullseye, then you can continue to loath me to your heart's content. If you don't, then you need to hop off your high horse and go back to being one of my best friends."

Tessa was still for a moment. This was a waste of her time, and yet...

Tessa stalked over to Reese, snatching his bow out of his hands. "Give me an arrow," She grumbled.

Reese only beamed, handing her one of his golden arrows from his quiver. Tessa grabbed it, strung it, and pulled the bowstring back to her cheek. She was a decent shot despite her primary choice in weapons being a sword, but hopefully, she was more than decent when it counted.

Tessa fired the arrow. It hit the target...but in the second innermost ring.

Tessa lowered the bow, glowering as she faced Reese. However, the absolute look of triumph on her face took her back to Capture the Flag all those years ago, when she'd called him a pompous archer and he'd only grinned.

The daughter of Poseidon heaved a sigh, avoiding Reese's gaze. "I'm sorry for..." She trailed off, mumbling.

Reese knit his eyebrows together. "Sorry, what was that? Did the almighty daughter of Poseidon just say the words 'I'm Sorry'?"

Tessa took a slow breath, fighting every ounce of will in her body telling her to skewer the son of Apollo before her. "I'm sorry for avoiding you."

"And?" Reese said innocently.

"And what?" Tessa rescinded, but at Reese's gesture of putting a hand up to his ear, she sighed. "I'm sorry for just about everything I've done in the past twenty-four hours, okay? You happy?"

Reese shrugged. "I'll take it."

Tessa grumbled. "Pompous vulture."

"Self-righteous crab."

"That's my name, don't wear it out."

And despite it all, Tessa and Reese both found themselves laughing.

"Now that that's said and done, we've got a daughter of Demeter to rescue." Reese smiled and started for the exit to the arena. "You coming?"

Tessa rolled her eyes, a soft smile on her lips, but jogged after Reese. "Speaking of, there's something I've been meaning to talk to everyone about but haven't really gotten the chance. Did you notice how...I don't know, isolated Aether's mansion felt?"

Reese drew his eyebrows together, turning his head to look at Tessa as they walked. "What do you mean?"

"Like, it was about to start storming and yet the grounds of the mansion were as calm as if it was a sunny day." Tessa explained. "That, and there's no way a mansion like that could be in Maine."

"Well, it was covered by the Mist for one," Reese figured. They were approaching the Big House now. "Maybe that's it?"

"Maybe," Tessa figured, but her eyes caught on a pair of figures emerging from the Big House. One was Chiron, and the other was Grace, the Huntress who had presided over Tessa's case.

"Chiron!" Reese called. "What's going on?"

Chiron nodded to Reese and Tessa as they approached. "Nothing, my boy. But it is time for Grace to return to the Hunters, seeing as Tessa is feeling better."

"Immensely," Tessa confirmed, averting her gaze to Grace. She was an odd person to look at, like all Hunters were, being that they were immortal and perpetually teenage girls. But Grace was blessed by Persephone, and occasionally, the way she'd look at you made you feel like she knew exactly when you were going to die.

"I'm glad you're feeling better, Tessa," Grace said, her voice harmonic. "Takes a lot of strength to pull yourself out of a coma."

Tessa nodded, smiling thinly. "Grace, I was actually wondering if I could ask you something?"

The Huntress looked wary, but stepped away from where Reese had pulled Chiron into conversation. "What is it?"

"Well, it's about Jared Knight. Apparently, you were the one who directed us to go talk with him but he's only given us very cryptic information," Tessa explained, making a mental note of how Grace's eyes widened fractionally at the name. "Could you tell me more?"

Grace pursed her lips. "Jared was...hurt. His memories have been tampered with by more than one force, and that has left him in mental shambles." She said delicately, like she was skirting around the answer.

"We have reason to believe that I might be involved with something he's said," Tessa continued casually. "Do you think I could speak with him?"

Something in Grace switched off. Her gaze darkened, and her small stature stiffened. "No."

"Why not?"

"Believe me, Tessa, there is nothing good that would come from talking with Jared Knight."

"Really?" Tessa said interrogatively. "Because it seems that we've gotten some very pressing information out of him. Do you know anything about Jared Knight's son? He said something about the moon taking his son from him and the ocean bringing him back."

Grace's eyes flickered. "Tessa, you don't want to talk to him."

"Why?"

"Because you'd destroy every last semblance of peace he has left."

Before Tessa could ask what she meant, the Huntress rushed away. The next thing Tessa knew, the Huntress had disappeared out of her sight in a silvery haze, and Reese crossed over to stand at Tessa's side.

"What was that about?" Reese asked, following Tessa's line of sight.

Tessa shook her head. "I have no idea." She said. "But I'm going to find out."

She started down the steps of the Big House, Reese in tow, when she felt like she'd been hit between the eyes. A familiar whining sound echoed through her mind, and the next thing Tessa knew, she was standing in an immaculate chamber adorned with jewels and gilded patterns. And standing in the center of the room, watching her through silver irises and a golden aura, was Aether.

"I will see you soon, Tessa. There is no escaping your fate."

"Tessa?"

Tessa blinked, suddenly back in Camp Half-Blood. She felt like she'd just ran ten miles at hyper speed, like her lungs were made of paper. She looked to Reese wildly. "We need to find them. We need to find them right now."

"Tessa, what's wrong?"

"Have you discovered our little present yet, Tessa? The one that Aether and I left you?"

Tessa released a shaky breath, bringing a hand up to her head. She lowered it, panic warring with wrath in her mind. Then, she took off at a sprint for the Library of Athena.

"Where the hell are you going?" Reese called after her.

"Get the others!" Tessa shouted over her shoulder. "Because something is very, very wrong."

And as Tessa raced for the Library of Athena, her heart pounded in time with each step. She knew her stability was too good to be true after she emerged from that coma. Because it seemed that during that odd battle with Vinny and the Masks, he and Aether had truly left her something.

A mental bond. With the leader of the Masks on the other side.