Thalia's POV

"Grace." The voice was instantly recognizable. I searched the darkness for where it was coming from but saw nothing.

"Nico?" I asked.

"Listen to me. Paris is a bad idea. You can't go there no matter what," He warned, his voice filling every inch of dark space.

"Why? My friends are there. What if they need help?" I asked, still trying to locate where he was. It always weirded me out when he did this.

"Look. Two hunters made it back to camp. They've told everyone about Lycaon. About his shape shifting monster. The rumors are spreading like wild fire. Lycaon has your scent. The girls said he was talking about a 'boss.' Someone who wants you alive. Lycaon knows where you are. He knows what you're doing. You're playing right into his hands." Nico's voice was urgent.

"What am I supposed to do? I can't just abandon my friends and even if I did I promised Reyna I'd find her sister," I argued. My pulse was pounding in my ears. There was no doubt in my mind that Nico was right. Lycaon was playing us. We were sport for him. Nothing more nothing less. He was supposed to keep us busy while something else was happening.

"I know, but if you continue on this quest you're going to need help. Come back to camp. We can send out a search party," Nico reasoned.

"No. I've tried that already. The nymphs and satyrs already looked. Nobody's dug anything up!" I insisted. For some reason, no one seemed to comprehend that tid-bit of information.

"That's more of a reason to come back. Someone's keeping this quiet for a reason. The only way you'll find anything is if they let you." Nico was growing impatient. I could hear it in his tone of voice. "Please listen to me Thalia. We're all worried okay? The last time something happened with the Hunters my sister died."

He sounded like a little kid again stuck on the verge of crying. It was how Jason used to sound when he was sad. I couldn't hold out on him. "Okay. But I'll have to convince the others. What if they don't believe me?"

"I've already talked to Reyna," Nico explained.

"You have? How?" I asked.

"The same way I'm talking to you. Now you need to wake up. Trouble's on its way." All at once I was falling.

My eyes snapped open and I sat bolt upright. My hands were shaking but I didn't care. Getting to my feet I stumbled out of the tent. "We can't go to Paris!"

Reyna and I said at the exact same time. She studied me carefully. "Nico talked to you to didn't he?"

"Yeah," I sighed scanning the area for any threat. "We need to pack up and we need to get moving. Quickly."

Reyna nodded in understanding and immediately marched into the tent and shook the others awake. My hand inched towards my pocket where I kept my spear. My eyes peeled the dark. Everything had grown quiet. What was worse, there weren't any birds whistling. In most cases they took up a song when the sun began it's ascent onto the sky. Sweat began to make my palms slippery and I wiped my hands feverishly on my jeans.

A taxi cab whistle startled me but it was only Becca calling Blackjack and his friends back. The grim expression on her face meant she understood the situation perfectly. A twig snapped to my right and in an instant my spear was ready. Thankfully it was a squirrel shuffling the leaves with its tail. I sighed in relief when I went flying backwards. It felt like a train had just smacked me in the side. The trees flew by at an uncanny rate until I hit the forest floor with a painful thud. I was disoriented to say the least but I scrambled to my feet and sprinted back towards camp.

"Zuri!" Sam yelled. I broke into the camp ground to see an image that made my heart drop into the pit of my stomach. Lycaon was back but not just with his wolves. This time he had hell hounds. About a dozen in total all of whom were foaming at the mouth. Zuri had ducked narrowly missing a hellhound's jaws to the throat. She spun quickly whipping out her dual knives and sinking them into the hellhound's underbelly.

Becca was gone having used her ring to disappear. Sam held her double bladed spear in hand trying to keep an eye on the enemy. A wolf lunged nearly clamping down on her leg but she pinned it to the ground with a blade through the back. A hellhound took advantage of the situation and tackled her to the ground. Reyna grabbed it by the back of the neck and sunk her sword between its shoulder blades. In all it was chaos.

A wolf pounced at me from the side but I side stepped quickly only to be sent flying again by some unseen force. My head spun as I tried to get up this time. "What is hitting me?"

"It's the shape shifter. I'm not sure how but it's invisible." Reyna sounded panicked and I knew why. That thing was powerful enough as it was. Now we couldn't even see where it was. Clenching my jaw and stood back up and plunged my spear into the closest hellhound sending it into a pile of dust.
Across the way Zuri was cornered up against a tree with no where to go. Pointing my spear at the wolf, a bolt of lightning shot from the tip sending waves of electricity through the beasts. Zuri immediately cut them down so that despite our lack of silver the injuries were enough to keep the wolves from getting up.

Becca had reappeared and she stood back to back with Sam. Sam had a large cut just above her eyebrow and the bleeding was making it hard for her to see. Out of my peripheral I saw Reyna get tossed into the woods like I had. We could fight all we wanted but if we kept getting hit by an invisible battering ram we didn't stand a chance. The only problem was that I had no idea how to beat the stupid thing. How can you see something that isn't there?

I blasted a hellhound back with a gust of air and kicked another in the snout. I felt a slight rush of air come from behind me and I sidestepped to intercept a wolf. There was a loud whimper as a wolf nearby slammed into a tree. Somehow I had just avoided the monster. The wind. I felt the wind. Smirking as I pieced together what had happened, I now knew exactly what to do. Closing my eyes I blocked out the sounds of battle and focused on the open space around me.

The way the air rushed when wolves and hellhound's ran or the way it changed when things moved. I could see everything as if my eyes were open. The only difference was I saw a black empty space with white wispy figures moving around. There were three wolves to my right, Becca to my left, a hellhound about eight paces behind me, and then there was the monster. It was coming around for a second charge. I focused on its movements as  headed towards me.
Four steps...three...two...one- I spun arching my spear in a downward slash. There was a terrible screech and the monster collapsed on the ground next to me before scrambling to its feet. My plan had worked. Closing my eyes again, I continued to follow its movements and sent a bolt of lightning into its back. The monster screeched again writhing on the ground. "Eat that ugly!"

A pained cry sounded to my left and my eyes snapped open instinctively. Someone was in trouble. Reyna had taken a claw to the throat. My heart seemed to stop. She dropped her sword and collapsed to her knees. I'd been so busy with the heroine threat that I hadn't noticed my friends being overwhelmed.
Blood poured down her neck and her shaking hands clasped over the wound. Her eyes were wide with panic. I went to take a step forward when I shot through the air again. I landed hard against a tree trunk my spine crashing into the wood painfully. My vision swam and I tried to get to my feet. Reyna needed help. She was going to bleed out. Struggling to get onto my hands and knees I was nearly there when my field of vision went black.

"Reyna..." I croaked reaching out in her direction. Something connected painfully with my side sending me onto my back. I gasped for air. A blurry face swam in and out of focus. A greasy hand reached down and titled my chin to look up at them.

"It's your lucky day kid. The boss only wants your friends." It was Lycaon. I tilted my head to the side to see him and two other blurry figures make their way to my friends. Becca and Sam tried to put up a fight but they collapsed to the ground. Something had knocked them unconscious. Zuri tried to make her way over to me when the shape shifting monster slammed a fist into her from behind. She sprawled out on the grass.

The blurry figures began to drag them away. Every part of me was screaming to go after them. I managed to crawl in their direction but my head was pounding. Lycaon slink swag, managing to scoop Reyna up in his arms and turn to face me with a smirk on his face. Reyna was unconscious blood covering her from head to toe. "Ill enjoy playing with this one. In the mean time...have some fun. It'll be your turn soon enough."

He turned on his heel and sauntered off into the woods. I continued to crawl. "Reyna..."

But it was hopeless. They couldn't hear me. I collapsed back onto the ground. My vision began to fade and the only thing I could do was call for help. Only I knew no one was going to find me. The world swam in and out of focus once more until it all went black.
— — —
I couldn't see anything and I felt cold. Really cold. I was shivering uncontrollably and all I wanted was to get warm but I couldn't move. I was awake only I wasn't. But despite feeling cold my body burned. It was a painful mixture of two extreme heats.

"Do you think she'll make it?" A soft voice asked. I tried to find where it was coming from and for a moment I thought I recognized it but it didn't sound like any of my friends.

"Shhh. Let her rest." A calm soothing voice filled my mind and I felt tired. Tired of everything, of everyone, almost like I just didn't care anymore. A fatigue not physical but emotional and mental seeped into me.

"Careful, your powers are wearing off on her."

The next time I came to a relatively conscious state the burning was less. I remembered my friends, the attack, Lycaon, all of it. I needed to find them. I needed to get them back. Reyna. She needed to find her sister. I promised to find her sister. Becca, she wanted to visit camp. To see her brothers and sisters when this was over. Sam, she was so new to the Hunt and this wasn't fair to her. I had the desire to cry. To cry like I had never cried before. This crippling need to just let everything I had pent up out.

"She keeps asking for someone...do you think we can find them?" It was the same young voice again.

"No. They are gone." That deep calming tone eased my anxiety and despair unlike it had earlier.

Their voices faded into background noise. The third time I woke up my eyes could hardly focus on anything. It was dim and my head hurt. I was aware that I was in a bed, above me was a ceiling, and somewhere there was a door. I struggled to sit up but my spine ignited like a red hot rod was being pressed into my skin. Crying out in pain I fell back against the bed.

"No! Don't try to sit up. Stay still. You're still hurt." I titled my head to see a young girl staring at me. Her eyes were the color of the earth and her skin was a light green. For a moment I thought she was Juniper but that wasn't possible.

"My friends..." I croaked. My throat felt raw and it hurt to talk.

"You can't help your friends if you're injured," the girl reasoned. I nodded closing my eyes and sighing deeply.

"I should've just stayed in New Rome or at least have gone to camp. Ever since this quest started nothing good has happened." My voice cracked but not because I hadn't spoken in a long time. I was sad. Right now whole life seemed like one elaborate prank. Nothing good ever happened.

"Daughter of Zeus." The man's voice sounded. It was deep and soothing but there was sadness in it.

My eyes shifted in the voice's direction. There was a tall man with deep brown eyes very similar to Reyna's. In fact, he had the same skin tone and hair color as well. His hair was shaggy but somehow it looked well groomed. He was muscular and wore simple mortal clothes. A collared shirt and dark jeans. "Who are you?"

"My name is Sila," He informed.

"Sila?" I asked before coughing. "Are you a friend?"

"Yes," He nodded, a tight smile pulling at his lips. He glanced at the girl sitting next to me. "Fawn is she recovered?"

"I don't know," Fawn frowned, glancing at me. "How do you fee!?"

"Like I was hit by a truck and my spine was ripped out like godamn Wolverine," I grumbled, blinking spots out of my vision as I tried to sit up again. That same burning feeling shot through my back but I continued with the motion. Fawn tensed ready to help if I needed it. "Thank you for your help but I need to find my friends."

"Is that the girl you were talking about?" Fawn asked her eyes glowing in excitement.

"Fawn," Sila warned, but the girl didn't seem to care.

"What do you mean?" I asked preparing myself for the pain that would come with standing up.

"You kept asking for someone," She said, looping my arm over her shoulders and pulling me up as I tried to stand. I groaned in pain but managed to stay upright. "The name was Reyna I think."

My legs nearly gave out right then and there. I stumbled but Sila moved forward and in one swift motion placed me back on the bed. "Reyna?"

"Yes," Fawn nodded looking at me funny like she couldn't believe I would ask a question like that.

"Is she alive? Do you know? Are my friends okay? Where are they?" I asked, my heart pounding.

"They are alive but they are not here." Sila explained clasping his hands in front of himself. "Lycaon has taken them to his fortress."

"No," I whispered. Who knew what Lycaon was doing to them. "No. I need to help them. I need to find them!"

"You will, but you need to heal first," Fawn tried to reason with me but I wasn't having it.

"I'm fine. Now tell me where to go." I growled getting clumsily to my feet and staggering toward the door causing my back to flare in pain. Fawn followed closely behind as I jerked the door open. I stepped out into a room where earthen walls twisted up and around me. Here the scent of the woods was thick. It was overwhelming to say the least.
Only that wasn't the only disorient thing. Furniture made of dark smooth roots twisted together in intricate detail and a low glow filled the room like an invisible fire was illuminating the area. Then I noticed that it wasn't a fire. Off on one side of the room a wall of shelves lined the wall. On them were glowing glass orbs all of different intensities. They appeared to have flames trapped inside of them. Despite all of this I saw no door. No way out. "Where's the exit?"

"Please just go back to bed. You have to be careful your ba-" Fawn started to protest when a crippling pain rocked my body sending me crashing to the floor. I growled in pain not sure what was going on.

"What?" I gasped. Fawn looked at me in sympathy.

"You fractured your spine," She stated. I breathed a sigh of relief when the pain subsided.

"Have you tried ambrosia?" I wondered aloud. Fawn nodded.

"Yes but ambrosia can only do so much." Sila appeared from the room I had woken up in. "You will need to rehab your injury."

"I don't have time for that," I yelled angrily. Not at them but just in general.

"You wouldn't be able to save your friends even if your back was healed," Sila said, his eyebrows furrowing as he titled his head to the side. I grasped the back of one of the strange chairs and hauled myself up into it.

"How do you know?" I asked glaring at him.

"Lycaon is stronger than you suspect. He has resources and alliances. A girl much like you already came this way. She tried to take him down but we haven't heard from her since." Fawn explained, glancing worriedly at Sila.

"What girl?" I asked.

"She was a warrior Queen. Her name was Hylla." The world could have stopped right then and there. In fact I was sure it had.

"No. No. Do you know what happened? Did Lycaon take her?" I asked, my heart thumping ten times faster in my chest.

"We believe he has. Just as he took your friends." Sila nodded, taking a seat across from me. His deep dark eyes studied my face wearing a look I had seen on Reyna's face. "Thalia Grace I know there is no stopping you from your quest. But I am offering my help. Don't brush me off like Castellan did."

"Castellan?" I breathed. It had been a long time since I'd heard that name. For a moment his dark eyes flickered to a familiar blue. "You knew Luke?"

"I did. Not personally but I knew him better than most." Sila nodded sadly.

"What do you mean?" I asked. Sila smiled lightly.

"I must show you something," He said getting to his feet and motioning for Fawn to help me. Fawn supported my weight as we awkwardly shuffled to the shelves. Sila took the room in nearly three steps his stride long and fluid. He paused in front of the wall of glowing objects. "Before I tell you what is behind me you must know who I am."

"You said your name was Sila," I stated, giving him a skeptical look.

"Sila is short for Skasila," Sila smiled sadly.

"The minor God?" I asked. He nodded, a melancholy air enveloping him.

"I am a son of Aphrodite. Tasked with handiling the hearts of mortals and demigods. I specifically handle heartbreak." He gestured to the wall where upon further inspection the glowing objects looked like smooth glossy stones. "These are but a few I look after."

"You mean these belong to real people?" I asked in awe. "Why are they glowing?"

"That is the capacity of love and emotion inside someone's heart. The brighter they are the happier and more fulfilled they feel." Sila waved his hand in the air and a glowing stone appeared in his hand. He rotated it over and on the other side a name was engraved. "This is your friend's heart."

"Percy," I read aloud. It was almost blinding to look at. It emanated a bright red and orange light. In fact it was so bright I had to squint.

"Yes. I know more about people than they do. I know more about you Thalia Grace than even you do." Sila sighed sadly. Another object appeared in his hand. It was terribly dull, the outside was gray and cool to the touch. There was a faint yellow glow pulsating on the inside. On the other side of the stone was my name.

"It's so...dull," I muttered, glancing at Sila. He nodded, his eyes reflecting an unbearable amount of sadness and it dawned on me why. "You broke my heart?"

"Yes," His eyes held an apology words couldn't speak.

"It's because of you I can't love isn't it?" I whispered. He nodded and another stone joined mine. It was similar to mine except the center was slightly warmer. The name was Reyna's.

"You and your friend are my greatest regrets. But I cannot disobey my Mother's orders." Sila passed me the stones and it took two hands to hold them. They were extremely heavy for their size. I understood where the term a heavy heart came from and suddenly I understood why his eyes were so sad. He was responsible for breaking people's hearts, ruining their happiness, taking away what they loved and hurting others. He felt completely and totally at fault.

"What happens if you don't follow her orders?" I asked.

"I tried to ignore her once." Sila's voice cracked. He glanced at Fawn who was studying the ground tears welling in her eyes. "When I took Fawn in as a young nymph she had an older satyr boy as a brother. He was my apprentice and when I refused to break the heart of his love my Mother smited him."

"I'm so sorry...that's awful," I whispered. Fawn nodded blinking her eyes furiously. "That's horrible. But how could your own mother do that?"

"I could ask you the same question. Why would your Mother trade your brother, destroy your self esteem, cripple you with fear, and leave you to fend for yourself?" Sila asked gently.

"I guess we don't know," I agreed. I studied the stones in my hand and saw the center of Reyna's flicker.

"We need to hurry. Your friend won't last long." Sila wore a grim expression. "You will need to train in order to infiltrate the base. Your powers are hardly at their full potential. Keep the stones, I do not need them. If anything, they are safer with you. I do not wish to inflict my Mother's vengeance further on you."

"Thank you." The stones shrank to the size of large marbles and I shoved them deep into my pockets. They seemed to weigh nothing now.

"Fawn, small amounts of ambrosia and nectar for her please. Get her clothes. By tonight she should be ready to train." Sila's eyes took on a new intensity and determination. The melancholy atmosphere shifted to one of pulsating power. "Are you a quick learner?"

"Yeah." I nodded. Before adding in my head that that was what Reyna had said. Fawn escorted me back to the room that I'd just come from and as I passed the shelves a name caught my eye. Luke Castellan. The stone was cold, grey, and empty, but as I passed I could have sworn I saw a small  light flicker into existence on the inside.