ON THIS SPRING DAY
━━━━━ chapter one

━━━━━ "NICO, YOU SAID—"

               "I know what I said," he cut her off, scowling down the dark corridors.

               "Well, then, what's wrong now?" Violet demanded crossing her arms.

               "The paths changed!" He stomped his foot, glaring down the forked path. "It wasn't like this before! I told you, that's how it works; it's constantly changing."

               The daughter of Eros sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "This is useless—We just need to head back."

               "I thought you wanted to find the—"

               "I did," Violet insisted, nodding her head. "But I need to get back to Camp."

               Nico gave her a nasty look. "What for? You told me you had time to go looking with me!"

               "I thought I did!" she replied. Violet waved her hand around the dingy corridor, hearing the slow drip-drop of a leak from the rusted pipes above their heads. "But you know how time works down here."

               "It moves faster." Nico nodded. "Yeah, still—We need to be looking, not for you to be skipping around New York with Jackson—"

               Her face burned. "I don't skip around!" she insisted, flustered by the accusation. Then, she gasped. "I was supposed to meet up with him!"

               The son of Hades gave her a look. "You're only proving my point, Vi."

               "Shit, Nico!" she said, grabbing his arm. "I need to get back to New York before Percy's orientation ends!"

               The black-haired boy sighed and looked down the pathway they had come from. "Fine, that way."

               Violet frowned as he turned around. "How are you so sure now?"

               He stiffened. "It's the way we came, isn't it?"

               "Yeah, but—"

               Nico grabbed her arm to pull her along. "So it makes sense to go this way. Obviously."

               Obviously, Violet thought to herself with an eye roll. But you told me yourself—pathways constantly change, right under our noses, in the Labyrinth.

🌷

Violet and Nico split up under the heavy sun. The son of Hades stayed behind in the dingy alleyway, promising her that he would keep looking into leads. She bid him goodbye, ducking inside a coffee shop next to the alleyway.

               The black-haired girl scowled heavily as she looked at the clock hung on the wall. It was past time for her to meet up with Percy after his freshman orientation at Goode. She winced internally, hurrying out of the shop and catching a taxi to take her to her apartment with her mom, Dahlia. She really hated the time jumps from the Labyrinth. It all made her head hurt and her heart heavy from all the lying.

               But it's necessary, Violet insisted to herself as she made her way inside the apartment to grab her bag for Camp. I need answers and need to keep Nico safe—as safe as I can keep him.

               Since January, the two had been searching for answers about her abilities over darkness. They had tried practically everything, but with zero answers. Nico had been hesitant to share the news of his discovery over the Labyrinth, but Violet was desperate for answers. And so, the two started searching there, too. But coming up with zero leads.

               It was getting to the point where Violet was about to rip her braids out, and she had spent too much time parting and braiding to do that.

               The daughter of Eros steeled her nerves, facing the shadowy corner of her room. She gritted her teeth and envisioned Camp, hoping to land somewhere around the dark forest. Hesitantly, she stepped inside, and immediately felt the effects. It was like she dunked into a bath of ice water, her blood chilled and her muscle tensed.

               Violet stepped out as quickly as she stepped in and nearly face-planted into a tear, exhausted and shaking. She rightened herself against the tree, breathing heavily. Doing stuff like that had been harder in the warmer months compared to winter. It was like the heat severed her connections with shadows. Violet didn't understand it, and neither did Nico, who looked confused when she brought up the concern to him.

               ( "You feel like the heat makes it harder for you to control shadows?" he asked, peering at her weirdly.

               "Don't look at me like that! And yes, maybe it really does have something to do with the heat. Does it happen to you?"

               The son of Hades shook his head. "Not at all. That's really weird, Violet." )

               ( Violet didn't need to be told that it was weird. This entire situation was weird! )

               She glanced around, straightening her back and grabbing her bag from off the dirt floor. The grass clung to the fabric for a moment, before settling back into place. She frowned down at it, her eyes confused, but then heard someone call out to her.

               "Vi!" Connor was jogging towards her, smiling crookedly. "When d'you get back, Love Bug?"

               Her eyes widened, looking around. She was on the edge of the forest, the shadows around her. Hoping she didn't look too odd—although she must have as she was bent at the hip next to a tree in the shadows ( gods, she hoped no one had seen her shadow travel )—she threw the bag over her shoulder and gave the son of Hermes a tense smile. "Hey, Connor," she said lamely. "Um—I've been back."

               For a whole two seconds, but you don't have to know that, she thought.

               He frowned at her, stopping next to her. "For—what?—two minutes?" Close enough. "Why are you in the forest?"

               "I wanted to—um—be attuned with nature," she said, patting the tree with a painfully wide smile.

               "O-kay, then ..." Connor glanced around, as if looking to see if anyone was noticing her weird attitude. "Well, Percy was looking for you and I told him you hadn't made it to Camp yet." He sounded almost bitter at Percy's name.

               "You—you can go tell him I've been here," she said, leaning away from the tree. She stumbled for a moment, her legs feeling weak, and Connor caught her arms.

               "Violet." He looked at her worriedly. "Are you seriously okay? You look almost sick, do you need to go to Lee?"

               "I'm all good," she promised, shaking off his hands. It was weird not to feel practically energized when the son of Hermes talked to her anymore. "I'll go find Percy, then."

               Connor frowned, but didn't say anything as she bolted towards the cabins. Violet raced across the hills, tossing her bag inside and nearly running into AJ.

               "Whoa!" The blond jumped back, giving her a wide-eyed look. "What's up with you? Looks like you saw a ghost or something."

               Practically, the answer was on the tip of her tongue. Just saw my old crush and I feel crushed for not crushing on him anymore.

               "I'm just," she said breathlessly, brushing back some braids, "I need to talk to Percy."

               "Oh, that's right." AJ pointed out of the door with his thumb. "He asked about you. Said you bailed on him or something. He seemed upset about it." He gave her a grin that gave Violet the impression she knew something she didn't.

               Well, Violet was getting really sick of that feeling. It felt like she knew nothing at all. No idea why she was still so torn up about Connor, why having a crush on Percy felt horrible, and why she could control shadows and kill zombie skeletons.

               "Do you know where he is?" she asked.

               "The amphitheater," AJ replied. "What d'you bail on him for?"

               "Nothing." Violet brushed back the blond, jogging down to the amphitheater.

               She was getting really sick of people prying into her life with questions she couldn't answer.

🌷

Violet certainly expected to be hounded by Percy when she met him in the amphitheater, but she didn't expect to be hounded by a hellhound.

               And she had seen some pretty big hellhounds, alright? But this one was the size of a tank and was bulldozing straight for her. She screamed as the thing pounced on her, sending them both to the floor. She scrambled, trying to push the monster off and get out Larkspur, her Celestial bronze bow hidden as a small larkspur charm, when someone whistled and the hellhound licked her face and bounded away.

               She lay on the floor in stunned fear as someone snickered and leaned over her. Percy was giving her his signature troublemaker smile as he held out a hand to her.

               "Percy, why are you smiling?" she demanded, jumping to her feet and holding onto Larkspur as it grew into a bow. "It's a hellhound. And tried to eat me!"

               The son of Poseidon laid a hand on her bow arm, pushing Larkspur to angle it at the ground. "Yeah, I got the same surprise. She's a pet hellhound—Mrs. O'Leary."

               Violet blinked. "Oh. Who would keep a hellhound as a pet?"

               "I would." A grey-haired man in Greek armor stood opposite of the amphitheater held onto Mrs. O'Leary's collar, but Violet doubted that would do much good considering the hellhound's size. "Mrs. O'Leary seems to like you, Miss ...?"

               "Violet." The daughter of Eros shuffled on her feet. "I'm glad Mrs. O'Leary" —the hellhound barked at her name— "likes me. I'd hate to see if she didn't."

               Taking a closer look at the hellhound, Violet found that Mrs. O'Leary looked quite cute. In some weird monster way. She was clearly excited, her bushy tail waging. She nudged a soggy, badly chewed target dummy towards the swordsman.

               "Good girl," the man said. He let go of her collar and grabbed the armored mannequin by the neck and heaved it towards the stands. Violet saw in his other hand he held a Celestial bronze sword. "Get the Greek! Get the Greek!"

               Mrs. O'Leary bounded after her prey and pounced on the dummy, flattening its armor. She began chewing on its helmet.

               The swordsman smiled dryly. He was in his fifties, Violet guessed, with short grey hair and a clipped grey beard. He was in good shape for an older guy. He wore black mountain-climbing trousers and a bronze breastplate strapped over an orange Camp T-shirt. At the base of his neck was a strange mark, a purplish blotch like a birthmark or a tattoo, but before Violet could make out what it was, he shifted his armor straps and the mark disappeared under his collar. She sent a glance Percy's way, and he seemed to have noticed the same thing she had.

               "I'm sorry for trying to kill Mrs. O'Leary," Violet apologized, turning Larkspur back into a charm. "I didn't realize there could be friendly hellhounds."

               "Mrs. O'Leary is my pet," the older man explained. "I couldn't let you shoot her or this young man stick a sword in her rump, now, could I? That might have scared her."

               Violet glanced at Percy again. "You tried to stab her?"

               He shrugged. "There was a hellhound at Camp, what else was I supposed to think besides monsters breaking Camp borders?" The son of Poseidon looked at the older man with suspicious eyes. "Who are you, then?"

               The man smiled dryly again. "You two promise not to kill me if I put my sword away?"

               Percy looked at Violet, slowly tucking Riptide behind his legs, as if to hide the sword. "I guess."

               He sheathed his sword and held out his hand. "Quintus."

               The two demigods shook his hand. It was as rough as sandpaper.

               "I'm Percy Jackson and this is Violet Beaumont," the black-haired boy said. "Sorry about—" He motioned towards Mrs. O'Leary, who barked happily, shaking the arena. "How did you, um—"

               "Get a hellhound for a pet?" Quintus finished for Percy. "Long story, involving many close calls with death and quite a few giant chew toys. I'm the new sword instructor, by the way. Helping Chiron out while Mr. D is away."

               "Oh." Violet tried not to stare as Mrs. O'Leary ripped off the target dummy's shield with the arm still attached and shook it like a frisbee. ( That could easily be her head. ) "Wait, Mr. D's gone?"

               Percy glanced at her again. He looked ready to ask where she had been earlier.

               Before he could ask, Quintus spoke up, "Yes, well ... busy times. Even old Dionysus must help out. He's gone to visit some old friends. Make sure they're on the right side. I probably shouldn't say more than that."

               Violet figured that should've been good news. She hated dealing with Mr. D. He was a downright asshole most times ( even if some of his comments were slightly funny ). But the news he was gone pricked a small trickle of anxiety in her blood. Dionysus was actually sent to start recruiting minor gods against the Titan threat; that wasn't good news.

               Off to her left, there was a loud BUMP. Six wooden crates the size of picnic tables were stacked nearby, and they were rattling. Mrs. O'Leary cocked her head and bounded towards them.

               "Whoa, girl!" Quintus said. "Those aren't for you." He distracted her with the bronze shield frisbee.

               The crates thumped and shook. There were words printed on the sides, but with her dyslexia, it took t a couple of minutes to decipher:

TRIPLE G RANCH
FRAGILE
THIS WAY UP

               Along the bottom, in smaller letters: OPEN WITH CARE. TRIPLE G RANCH IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PROPERTY DAMAGE, MAIMING, OR EXCRUCIATINGLY PAINFUL DEATHS.

               "What's in the boxes?" Percy asked curiously, motioning to the quivering boxes.

               "A little surprise," Quintus answered. "Training activity for tomorrow night. You two will love it."

               Violet wasn't so sure about that. Not with the Excruciatingly painful deaths part.

               Quintus threw the bronze shield, and Mrs. O'Leary lumbered after it. "You young ones need more challenges. They didn't have camps like this when I was a boy."

               "You're a half-blood?" Violet asked curiously, peering at the man. She didn't mean to sound rude or anything, it was just the fact she hadn't met any old demigods before.

               Quintus chuckled. "Some of us do survive into adulthood, you know. Not all of us are the subject of terrible prophecies." He looked at Percy knowingly.

               The son of Poseidon looked surprised. "You know about my prophecy?"

               "I've heard a few things."

               Violet's curiosity was eating at her, wanting ask what exactly Quintus had heard, when Chiron clip-clopped into the arena. "Percy, there you are! Ah—Violet, when did you get back?"

               The daughter of Eros winced. It was going to be harder and harder to lie if people were going to continuously give Percy more and more information on the fact she wasn't at Camp. He was going to ask where she was and Violet wasn't so sure she could pull another lie out of thin air about that without sounding too suspicious.

               Chiron must've just come from teaching archery. He had a quiver and bow slung over his NO. 1 CENTAUR T-shirt. He'd trimmed his curly brown hair and beard for the summer, and his lower half, which was a white stallion, was flecked with mud and grass.

               "I see you two have met our new instructor." Chiron's tone was light, but there was an uneasy look in his eyes. "Quintus, do you mind if I borrow Percy and Violet?"

               And Violet too? But she was going to ask about the prophecy!

               "Not at all, Master Chiron."

               "No need to call me 'master'," Chiron said, though he sounded sort of pleased. "Come, Percy, Violet. We have much to discuss."

               Violet glanced between Mrs. O'Leary, Quintus, Chiron, and Percy. She debated which duo would pry into her life more, coming up with the answer of Percy ( and only Percy ). She had meant to talk to Percy, give him some lie and say she accidentally ran out of time and just headed back to Camp ( it wasn't a total lie ), but with so much derailing that plan, she was getting cold feet and hoping Percy wouldn't ask about it. ( But she knew better than that; Percy always had questions. )

               She opened her mouth to say she'll stay behind when Quintus spoke for her, "Well, see you, Percy, Violet."

               Stupid old man.

               As Violet was walking away from the arena, keeping a considerable distance between her and Percy, the boy whispered to Chiron, "Quintus seems kind of—"

               "Mysterious?" Chiron suggested. "Hard to read?"

               "Yeah."

               The centaur nodded. "A very qualified half-blood. Excellent swordsman. I just wish I understood ..."

               Whatever he was going to say, he apparently changed his mind. "First things first, Percy. How was your freshman orientation?"

               Violet winced as Percy glanced at her from over Chiron's backside. "Um ... not so great," he admitted. "I got attacked by some empousai." Percy then told Violet and Chiron about the fight at Goode, and how Kelli, an empousai cheerleader, had exploded into flames.

               Chiron hummed, looking thoughtful. "The more powerful ones can do that. She did not die, Percy. She simply escaped. It is not good that the she-demons are stirring."

               "What were they doing there?" Percy asked. "Waiting for me?"

               "Possibly." Chiron frowned. "It is amazing you survived. Their powers of deception ... almost any male hero would've fallen under their spell and been devoured."

               "I would've been," the boy admitted. "Except for Rachel."

               Violet looked over, the name hitting her like a tow truck. "Rachel?"

               "That mortal girl from Hoover Dam," Percy said. "Apparently, she lives in Manhattan, and attends Goode."

               "Oh." Violet swallowed and looked off. "Weird coincidence."

               "Ironic to be saved by a mortal," Chiron mused, "yet we owe her a debt. What the empousa said about an attack on Camp—we must speak of this further. But for now, come, we should get to the woods. Grover will want you there."

               "Grover?" Violet perked up. "Is he okay?"

               Chiron seemed to wince. "He is ... okay."

               But his tone made it seem that the satyr wasn't okay.

               "Grover would want us where?" Percy asked.

               "At his formal hearing," Chiron said grimly. "The Council of Cloven Elders is meeting now to decide his fate."

🌷

Chiron said they needed to hurry, and so he picked Violet and Percy up like sacks of sand, and placed them on his back. The centaur plunged into the woods. Nymphs peeked out of the trees to watch them pass. Large shapes rustled in the shadows—monsters that were kept in here as a challenge to the campers.

               Violet thought she knew the forest pretty well after playing Capture the Flag here for two years, but Chiron took them a way she didn't recognize, through a tunnel of old willow trees, past a little waterfall, and into a glade blanketed with wildflowers.

               A bunch of satyrs were sitting in a circle on the grass. Grover stood in the middle, facing three really old, really fat satyrs who sat on topiary thrones shaped out of rose bushes. Violet had never seen the three old satyrs before, but she figured they must be the Council of Cloven Elders.

               Grover seemed to be telling them a story. He twisted the bottom of his T-shirt, shifting nervously on his goat hooves. He hadn't changed much since last winter, maybe because satyrs age half the rate that humans do. His acne had flared up. His horns had got a little bigger, so they just stuck out over his curly hair.

               Standing off to one side of the circle were Annabeth, Juniper ( Grover's girlfriend ), and Clarisse. Chiron dropped Violet and Percy next to them.

               Clarisse's stringy brown hair was tied back with a camouflage bandanna. If possible, she looked even buffer, like she'd been working out. She glared at Percy and muttered, "Punk," which must've meant she was in a good mood. Usually, she says hello by trying to kill the son of Poseidon.

               Annabeth had her arm around the other girl, who looked like she'd been crying. Juniper was petite, with wispy hair the color of amber and a pretty, elfish face. She wore a green chiton and laced sandals, and she was dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. Instead of her eyes tinging red with tears, they were green, the color of chlorophyll. She was a tree nymph—a dryad.

               "It's going terribly," she sniffled.

               "No, no." Annabeth patted her shoulder. "He'll be fine, Juniper."

               Percy elbowed Violet, nodding to the nymph. Who? he mouthed to her.

               She shuffled on her feet, mouthing back, Grover's girlfriend.

               "Master Underwood!" the council member on the right shouted, cutting off whatever Grover was trying to say. "Do you seriously expect us to believe this?"

               "'B-but, Silenus," Grover stammered. "It's the truth!"

               Silenus turned to his colleagues and muttered something. Chiron cantered up to the front and stood next to them. The elders didn't look very impressed to see the honorary members. But they also weren't too impressive themselves. They reminded Violet of the goats in a petting zoo—huge bellies, sleepy expressions, and glazed eyes that couldn't see past the next handful of goat chow. Violet figured they weren't anything to worry about, but Grover had been told all his life that the elders were the ones to listen to and fear.

               Silenus tugged his yellow polo shirt over his belly and adjusted himself on his rosebush throne. "Master Underwood, for six months—six months—we have been hearing these scandalous claims that you heard the wild god Pan speak."

               "But I did!" insisted Grover.

               "Impudence!" said the elder on the left.

               "Now, Maron," Chiron said. "Patience."

               "Patience, indeed!" Maron said. "I've had it up to my horns with this nonsense. As if the wild god would speak to ... to him."

               Juniper looked like she wanted to charge the old satyr and beat him up, but Annabeth and Clarisse held her back. "Wrong fight, girlie," Clarisse muttered. "Wait."

               Violet didn't know what to let surprise her most; the fact Clarisse was holding someone back from a fight, or the fact that Annabeth and Clarisse were working together on something, because they two certainly were best buds by any stretch.

               "For six months," Silenus continued, "we have indulged you, Master Underwood. We let you travel. We allowed you to keep your searcher's license. We waited for you to bring proof of your preposterous claim. And what have you found in six months of travel?"

               "I just need more time," Grover pleaded.

               "Nothing!" the elder in the middle chimed in. "You have found nothing."

               "But, Leneus—"

               Silenus raised his hand. Chiron leaned in and said something to the satyrs. The satyrs didn't look happy. They muttered and argued among themselves, but Chiron said something else, and Silenus sighed. He nodded reluctantly.

               "Master Underwood," Silenus announced, "we will give you one more chance."

               Grover brightened. "Thank you!"

               "One more week."

               Violet watched as Grover's hope burst right before her eyes. "What? But, sir! That's impossible!"

               "One more week, Master Underwood. And then, if you cannot prove your claims, it will be time for you to pursue another career. Something to suit your dramatic talents. Puppet theater, perhaps. Or tap dancing."

               "But, sir, I—I can't lose my searcher's license. My whole life—"

               "This meeting of the council is adjourned," Silenus said. "And now let us enjoy our noonday meal!"

               The old satyr clapped his hands and a bunch of nymphs melted out of the trees with platters of vegetables, fruits, tin cans, and other goat delicacies. The circle of satyrs broke and charged the food. Violet watched in mild disgust as the satyrs pushed each other out of the way, like they couldn't wait to get their pudgy hands on the goat food.

               Grover walked dejectedly towards us. His faded blue T-shirt had a picture of a satyr on it. It read: Got Hooves?

               "Hi, Percy," he mumbled, looking so crestfallen he wouldn't even look up at them. "That went well, huh?"

               "Those old goats!" Juniper said through gritted teeth. "Oh, Grover, they don't know how hard you've tried!"

               "There is another option," Clarisse said darkly.

               "No. No." Juniper shook her head. "Grover, I won't let you."

               The satyr's face was ashen. "I—I'll have to think about it. But we don't even know where to look."

               Violet frowned. "What are you talking about?"

               In the distance, a conch horn sounded.

               Annabeth pursed her lips. "I'll fill you and Percy in later, Vi. We'd better get back to our cabins. Inspection is starting."

🌷

Every afternoon, there was a cabin inspection. And to say Violet hated cabin inspections would be an understatement. Every afternoon, one of the senior counselors came around with a papyrus-scroll checklist. The best cabin got the first shower hour, which meant hot water was guaranteed. The worst cabin got kitchen patrol after dinner.

               And with so many inhabitants they couldn't even keep track, Cabin Eleven was more often than not last or second to last ( only ever second to last when Cabin Five had another of one of their infamous cabin fights ).

               Violet ran into Cabin Eleven, right into the chaos that was the five minutes before the senior counselor sent to inspect was set to arrive. She ran into the cabin, a dirty Camp T-shirt slapping her in the face.

               She peeled the shirt off her face, seeing three panicked faces staring back at her. Travis, Connor, and AJ all watched as she balled up the shirt and demanded, "Who threw this?"

               Immediately, three fingers were pointing at three different people. AJ was pointing at Travis, Travis was pointing at Connor, and Connor was pointing at AJ.

               But Violet wasn't amused. "Who the hell threw this? It reeks of sweat!"

               Two fingers pointed at Connor this time. He gave his brother and AJ a betrayed look as the shirt sailed toward his face with impeccable aim.

               "Do that shit again, Stoll," Violet threatened, pointing a finger at him, "and next time, it'll be an arrow aimed at your head."

               He peeled the shirt off his face and gave her a mock salute. "Yes, ma'am. Now—would you help us clean? You're the neatest one here, Love Bug."

               She grumbled but started assigning tasks. The Three Assholes ( AJ, Connor, and Travis ) were set to sweep, tucking things with no proper place in the cabin under beds and covering them with sheets. She made Alice Miyazawa and Julia Feingold, daughters of Hermes, make beds and tidy up the sleeping bags. And Cecil was given the task of dusting bedside tables and chests.

               "And don't steal anything!" Violet told Cecil, poking him in the chest.

               Cecil gave her a crooked grin and skipped off. Connor slid next to Violet, pushing off the rest of the sweeping onto Travis and AJ, and bumping her shoulder. "You know he won't listen to you. He's a worse thief than me and Travis combined."

               "I know." She sighed. "I'll go keep an eye on him."

               Before she walked off, she said, "Hey, I noticed ..." She licked her lips. "I noticed more missing campers. I mean, I already knew Ethan Nakamura ran off."

               "I hated that guy," Connor grumbled. "He was such an asshole for no reason."

               "Can you blame him?" Violet raised her eyebrows. "He was never claimed. Surely, you'd turn a little bitter if you weren't."

               Connor raised his eyebrows at her. "Don't go defending him, Love Bug. He joined—Luke."

               He said the name like it was a bad omen, which it practically was for Cabin Eleven. It was for the whole of Camp Half-Blood. Luke was ... Well, he was horrible. There was no other way to put it. He was a traitor and a fool, a pawn for Kronos.

               "I know ..." Violet sighed, "but still."

               Before Connor could reply, Silena cleared her throat and stepped inside with her inspection scroll. All chatter inside Cabin Eleven subsided, watching anxiously as Silena did a small twirl, examining every inch of the cabin.

               Violet cursed under her breath slightly. She loved Silena, don't get her wrong, but Silena was a neat freak. And Cabin Eleven was far from neat.

               A sigh seemed to leave the inhabitants as Silena gave them a smile. That was usually a good sign. "You guys did well!" She winked at Violet. "Though, I know Vi did it all. Travis, Connor, you two are slobs."

               Travis scoffed. "Love you too, Silena."

               She gave him a smile. "Three out of five, Cabin Eleven. Nice job!"

               The cabin deflated as she left, going to torment the next cabin, Cabin Nine. Connor grinned at Violet. "Thanks, Love Bug."

               She gave him a smile through gritted teeth. "No problem, Connor."

               It was becoming really exhausting to act like everything was fine. And there was only so much running Violet could do before all her problems catch up with her.

🌷 JULY 1ST, 2023 / i'm not super excited with the end but i'm happy to just get it out

nico and vi exploring the labyrinth? catch that??

a lot of shit is going to bite vi in the ass this act and i'm excited

tbh i'm pretty nervous to write this act - a lot more nervous to write act two than i was compared to act one

and there's a lot of reasons for that

(tell me all you're guesses and theories)

not edited nor proof read so typos i'm sure - just ignore them pls lol

anyways,, thoughts?? opinions??