Thalia's POV

We'd followed the map to our next destination and located the base in order to observe the perimeter. Guards were disguised but pacing along the exterior of the building. It was tall with multiple stories and large stain glass windows.

It seemed far too nice to hold such a dark secret. That of a God holding young teenagers and children captive. Hylla was positioned at the next building over along with her fellow Amazons, Maya, and Lee. They were hovering like vultures ready to swoop down and take out their prey.

Hylla's dark eyes mirrored Reyna's as she spent an hour or two learning the exact rotation of the guards. In just a moment they'd have the opportunity, if used effectively, to take out the incoming guards and the old ones. The change would happen quickly and if the attack wasn't efficient the alarm would be sounded.

Sure enough, three young looking demigods emerged in glistening armor to relieve the others of their position. Hylla and her friends slipped off the edge of the low rise building landing directly on the exchanging triplet.

Both pairs of three collapsed to the ground and in a flash Hylla had silenced her targets with a silent choke hold around each of their necks. She hadn't killed them, simply left them unconscious.

Maya and Lee followed her lead before waving us on. Louise, the smallest of us, darted over in their direction where Hylla boosted her up to an exterior air shaft. She used her small nimble fingers and the tip of her blade to undo the screws. Tossing the metal cover down to Maya she wriggled inside.

Everyone waited patiently for a moment before her little head poked back out and she provided a thumbs up. Hylla boosted Maya up then Lee and being the last carefully placed the cover back over the shaft.

"Okay they're in." I whispered back to my group. Reyna was behind me peering over my shoulder. Emma and Lydia looked poised and ready for our part in the master plan. "Get the time marked."

Lydia nodded and started counting quielty. In approximately three minutes the next shift would come rotating around the building and spot their unconscious friends. Our job was to make sure they joined said friends; on the ground and limp.

"It makes me nervous," Reyna whispered in my ear. She didn't like the idea of Hylla being off alone.

"Hylla knows what she's doing. Be patient." After my response I settled my eyes back on where the guards lay with slow breathing.

"Okay, right about now," Lydia wanted. A few brief seconds later a group of four emerged from around the building. Two hellhounds leashed up and guided by two lastragonian giants.

"They couldn't just be demigods could they?" Emma sighed before walking out from our hiding spot along with Lydia. They both held their weapons which we'd scavenged from the oil warehouse before moving on from our encampment. Emma wielded a deadly double bladed sword and Lydia held dual knives. The hellhounds snarled having picked up on their scents.

"Come on." Backing up slowly I turned leading Reyna to the sewer cover resting on the ground a few feet behind us. Grunting, I managed to move it aside. The smell was putrid and caused my nose to burn and my eyes to water. "After you."

Reyna gave me an incredulous look. "By all means ladies first."

"I'm not sure if I should be insulted," I mumbled stepping onto the first ring of the access ladder, "or flattered."

The ladder was moist and under normal circumstances I would have been slightly disgusted but at this point I didn't give a shit about most things anymore. After I'd climbed down a good ways Reyna began to descend as well moving the cover back over the hole. We'd scoped out a map of the sewers and as long as Emma and Lydia took care of the guards we had a clean shot of getting inside from below undetected.

"I feel like I should be disgusted but I'm not." Reyna said looking down at me. "Do you mind producing at least a little bit of light?"

"Sure thing princess let me just shoot lightning from my fingers in a place that's dripping with moisture. It's not like we'll be electrocuted or anything," I replied sarcastically stepping down into the water. My shoes sunk in a good two inches and I nearly gagged just thinking about what I'd stepped in.

I watched as Reyna finished climbing down and stepped hesitantly into the muck wearing an expression I assumed was similar to mine.

"Wonderful," Reyna gagged,  her nose scrunching up. "I love the smell of shit in the morning."

I bit my lip to keep from laughing and started trudging through the sewage towards the direction of our destination.

"Something funny Grace?" Reyna asked matching my pace.

"Not at all," I said shaking my head and keeping a flat expression.

"Good." She picked up the pace walking in front of me her footsteps somehow quiet despite the water of my nightmares. I could tell she was anxious by the way she twisted the ring on her finger.

"Reyna wait up," I sighed jogging to catch up to her. "Seriously relax."

"I'm fine," She said with a plain expression.

"No you're not," I shook my head. "You're nervous."

"And how would you know?" Reyna asked raising an eyebrow.

"You get really bitchy and fidget with your ring by turning it over and over on your finger," I said with a smirk as she stopped fidgeting and tucked her hands in her pockets.

She didn't say anything just kept walking and I knew I had been right. The water sloshed around quietly and I nearly tripped at one point,  which let me tell you is one of the most horrifying experiences you can think of. It was as if my life had flashed before my eyes and I prepared to meet my death. Only I ended up catching my balance and kept walking as if nothing had happened at all.

Of course Reyna laughed so hard we had to stop for her to catch her breath but other than that the walk was peaceful and quiet. At last we arrived at our destination and I climbed up the ladder to another manhole cover. Listening closely I pushed it open a fraction of an inch and observed the surrounding area.

It was a long expanse of empty space and grey stone floor. Giving Reyna the thumbs up I pushed aside the cover and popped up onto dry and clean ground. Offering Reyna a hand I pulled her up the last bit and covered up the hole again. We were in the basement of the building. A single light bulb swung from the ceiling.

It's glow was faint hardly illuminating the darkness. Glancing about I located a set of stairs and walked over to them crouched and ready. Pausing for a moment I listened and closed my eyes. The air currents were soft, painting a fuzzy image. "There's three people on the next floor."

Reyna nodded and followed me as we walked soundlessly up the steps. Nearing the end of the stair way I slowed the pace and peeked around the corner. The three figures were facing away from us.

"Stay here I'll take em." I said creeping over carefully until I was a mere foot behind the group. Grabbing one I placed a hand over his mouth cutting off his air way. He was out in a matter of seconds and before the others could properly react they were down on the floor as well. "Okay let's go."

Turning back I was surprised to see that Reyna wasn't where I had left her. The stair way was empty. Glancing about I looked at the other stairway leading further up the building but there was no familiar figure.

"Damn it. Where did you go?" Sighing I bounded up the next flight of stairs troubled by the fact that she'd wandered off so easily.

I made it flight after flight checking each floor and Reyna seemed to have actually disappeared. My legs burned buy the time I reached the main bottom floor of the building. Stumbling out into the room I rested a moment to catch my breath.

It was empty and quiet except for the faintest of sounds. It was soft and nearly non existent but it was there nonetheless. Sort of like a humming of a fly next to your head. Standing straight I thought of continuing on to the stairs across the way but something told me not to.

Turning, I walked towards the humming. It grew stronger with each step and the humming steadily creating distinct notes. It was the sound of a piano. Each note was familiar. Once upon a time I'd bothered to learn the piano and sometimes stayed after school in the music room. Whoever was playing was clearly experienced.

The noise was enchanting. Each key vibrated through the air and each note mingled slightly longer than it should have. My feet began to move on their own, a sort of longing clung to me. I needed to find out who was playing. What this song was that gripped me.

My footsteps were silent as I walked, my pace never speeding or slowing. My vision became locked on one thing only, the two grand doors that stood before me and my hearing refused to acknowledge any noise but the song.

Reaching out my hand rested on the cool metal handle of the door. A voice began to mix with the music clear and distinct. Sucking in a breath I pulled the door open and was bombarded with the full volume of the music.

There was a walk way lined with seats almost like I'd imagine a church or cathedral. Up ahead down the center path was a platform holding a grand piano made of the darkest material I had ever seen. It was swirling black with smoky tendrils radiating off of it.

A man sat on the bench his shoulders hunched, eyes closed, body moving to the music as he sang. The lyrics were familiar I'd heard them all before, they belonged to one of the few pleasant memories I had of my home life.

When my mother had taken me to a theater, not the kind with the big screen, but the place with a real stage and actors. She'd been particularly happy that evening and I had no idea as to why but I wasn't about to ruin the mood.

We'd been in pleasant spirits with each other all day and for a moment I thought things were looking up. I had always wanted to go back to that day.

As he sang his voice I couldn't help but notice how deep and rich his voice was, even if I didn't understand the language he was singing in. His song slowly ended and the notes faded into a silence that was all to loud. As the last note was silenced I snapped back into reality and looked around frantically. "Reyna."

"Your friend," The man said not looking at me," "is with the others."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"She came here as did you," He said. His voice was full of sorrow almost like he was close to crying with each word he spoke. "And as she did, you must go too."

My brain kicked into action. He'd managed to lure us here through his music. I wasn't exactly sure how but that didn't matter.

"Who are you?" I demanded. He turned looking at me his eyes deep and dark very much like Reyna's but they were sad, yearning, wanting something that wasn't there.

"My name is Lach Tara," He said standing to his full height.

"Longing?" I questioned. The Greek word was lachtára. His name like his siblings was derived from the Greek term. He nodded solemnly.

"I am the God of longing, desire, want, need." He tilted his head to look at me. "You've met my brother the Heartbreaker, and you've met my brother who plays with Passion, and now you have met me."

"Lucky me. The whole trio," I said sarcastically, taking my time to look around.

"There's more of us. You have yet to meet my sisters," Lach warned. His gaze fell to the floor. "I can assure you I am mild in comparison."

"And yet you've captured my friends and are probably torturing them just like Páthos did." My fingers twitched wanting to tap my bracelet and have my shield ready in case I needed it.

"I've saved your friends," Lach assured walking down the steps. "The ones in my care are in tact."

"I don't understand," I frowned, taking a step back.

"As long as they are with me they will face no harm from my siblings," Lach promised,  waving his hand. The air shimmered and glistened as the stain glass windows dissolved. Behind each one was a familiar face. They looked like vampires asleep in glass coffins standing upright in the walls.

It had all been an illusion. I noticed as the glass had dissolved this wasn't a church like building, simply a stone one.

"You see, desire, longing, it's always masked by false claims," Lach explained, walking down the center aisle. His eyes settled on each of the glass cases. "My illusions reflect the combat between mind and heart. You can fool the mind and you can mask your heart. It's why people miss out on relationships."

"Why tell me this?" I asked looking at the closed and peaceful expressions of my friends. My eyes landed on Zuri. She was one of the last ones.

"I have my reasons," Lach said turning on his heel to look at me. "You see, no one understands love. Even I cannot. Even the Olympians."

"Which is pretty obvious if you ask me," I cracked a smile but quickly replaced it with a neutral expression at his gaze.

"You have yet to understand the meaning of any of this." His voice was hollow almost empty. "My child you have no idea."

"No idea of what? You could tell me," I said anxiously.

"Your friend- the Praetor- thinks she knows the plan. That it's solely to reclaim our places in Olympus." Lach shook his head. "It is far deeper than that. You believe you've been kept alive to be a weapon and you are right but  you don't know the entirety of this situation."

"Then tell me. Stop playing games," I demanded not liking his vague explanations . How could everything we thought be wrong?  Surely they were going after the camps. That much had to be true. It was the only leverage they had over the Olympians.

"I can't. It ruins fate. Remember, knowing too much is never a good thing," Lach warned. "But I will tell you this. Each of us you meet, we all have something of value for you. I want my throne as do my siblings but we want more than that."

"What do you want?" I asked,  my voice dropping as I realized at any moment I could join my friends. Asleep and unknowing. Turning on my heel I faced the front of the building and saw two glass coffins front and center. Inside were Reyna and Hylla both of them as unaware as the others. Maya, Lee, Louise, Emma, all of them.

There was Zuri and next to her was Malia. Good old feisty Malia. Her father was Russian and she had a bit of a temper but she was like a grizzly bear, intimidating but kind. Her bright white blonde hair stuck out in the room like a beacon.

"I want you to decide." Lach said calmly. "Will you follow your heart or your mind?"

"What's that supposed to mean? Just let my friends go! Look, I don't want to fight you." I said tapping my bracelet and causing my shield to expand.

"You know very well what it means." Lach said waving his hand. The glass faded and my friends fell to the ground unconscious. "The decision is yours when the time comes."

"Wake them up," I ordered. Lach nodded and cracked his fingers walking back to his piano and sat down. I watched curiously. He seemed almost harmless and yet he could incapacitate and entrance anyone he wanted.

"All I ask of you, before you go, is one song." His eyes were that same deep color and bore into mine. "I know you used to play."

"How?" I asked lowering my shield.

"You used to play at school to distract yourself from unmet desires." Lach said turning to the keys."You played because you desired a normal life but you don't play anymore. Why?"

"Because I haven't that's why," I grumbled.

"No. You don't play anymore because what you desire you have." He said closing his eyes as his fingers pressed the keys.

"You're wrong," I argued. "I don't have a normal life."

"Desires change," Was his short reply. "Now play."

"No."

"Then your friends won't wake," He said, still playing. "It's your choice."

"I don't want to." I said fiercely. Because as much as I hated to admit it. Lach was right. To play meant to feel and I didn't want that because for the first time in a long while my inner turmoil had ceased.  I wasn't keen to open the floodgates again. I wasn't willing to ask Reyna to help me shut them again.

"Then join them." Lach said his voice lifting into the air. He began to sing the same tune as before. The song wrapped around my mind pulling on my heart and the piano began to swirl as it had before with those same dark tendrils radiating off of it.

I did my best not to listen, not to feel. But his voice found its way into the very depths of my mind, prying at it.

I could feel my senses dulling like before and watched as my friends began to stir ever so slightly but they wouldn't wake up. Not without my help. Not to mention the others who were with the sisters of Páthos and Lach. They would never be saved if I ended up trapped in a wall of glass. Swallowing I set my jaw and marched towards the piano. Taking my spot on the beach I settled my hands on the keys and joined in.

Closing my eyes I didn't  look at anyone or anything. Something inside me stirred that  I was unfamiliar with  and it sort of scared me. It was like the melancholy feeling I'd experienced with Sila ,mingling with the need and intensity I'd felt with Pathos, and now the sort of emptiness and desire that Lach was radiating while he played.

As the last note finished I opened my eyes and stared at the ground. The feeling wouldn't leave.

"Go before Páthos finds out what I've done," Lach insisted, gently nudging me.

"I thought you said this was part of the plan?" I asked quietly.

"It is. Whether he knows it or not," Lach assured,  for once his tone of voice shifting. "I am the God of longing and desire. Even he can't run from what he desires. He believes passion is the most dominant emotion. That everything stems from passion. Yet he neglects to recognize that if people didn't want, didn't desire, there would be nothing in this world."

"Are you against him then?" I asked looking up.

"I am not against him but I am not for him as is my brother Sila," Lach replied fiercely. "He is as you were. Neglecting the heart for the sake of the mind. I can help him as I helped you. Sila and I know what he truly is."

"And what is that?" I demanded, my eyes fiery like his power fueled my emotions.

"Human. We Gods based humanity upon ourselves, does that not makes us human too?"," Lach asked softly. Our eyes met one last time and with a wave of the hand the room vanished.

I woke up in a field somewhere I didn't recognize with a breeze causing the grass to sway. Groaning, I sat up and looked around. All around me were my friends scattered on the ground. One by one they awoke and sat up as dazed and confused as I was. Standing, I forced a smile and went to Zuri and Malia.

"Zuri," I said kneeling in front of her and hugging her tighlty. "I'm sorry I couldn't help when they took you."

"What? Sorry?" She laughed. "Don't be, it's not your fault."

"Malia it's good to see you," I said pulling back from the hug and clasping forearms with her.

"You as well. I see you've gathered others,"  She said her accent thick and her grey sleet colored eyes shine happily. "Good work."

"Thanks." I smiled with a hint of genuine feeling. "Guess we'll stay here for now."

I turned to see that Hylla and the others had already set to work. Reyna walked over to Zuri and greeted her warmly before making acquaintances with Malia. The breeze tousled the grass along with my hair and I did my best to keep it out of my face.

"Are you brooding?" Reyna asked me as Zuri and Malia went to greet the others.

"Yes," I replied seriously she nodded.

"You feel it to then don't you?" She asked glancing at me from her peripheral.

"Yes," I agreed.

"Things are changing." She said frowning. " I'm not sure what for or how."

"I don't like it." I said flatly and the truth was I didn't.

"Why?" Reyna questioned.

"Because I'm used to feeling empty," I admitted. "Now I'm feeling to much. All at once. It's like..."

"Like what?" Reyna said looking at the sky.

"Like after each one of these minor gods we meet, a small part of me is taken out and another is put back together." I felt like with each experience I was being violated. Like they were taking something of mine, and yet I felt like I was gaining something in return. Something I didn't understand, foreign feelings, bits of knowledge that just confused me more, and more importantly information about myself I never even knew.

"Agreed," Reyna sighed. "If it's any consolation you're very good at the piano."

"Thanks but I don't play anymore." I looked down at the ground. It reminded me too much of better times, and Lach was right. I wanted-no I longed for those better times.

Reyna looked at me sadly and her expression caused a strange emotion to fill my chest. I gave her the slightest hint of a smile and walked to help the others.

I was too far away to hear Reyna quietly whisper to herself. "You're changing Thalia, and I'm not sure if I like it."