Percy could barely do up his laces that morning.

His fingers, dextrous enough to create the most delicate of patterns in the water, trembled as he left his cabin, dark bags under his eyes as he set off to the pavilion

I caught up to Leo just as he had reached the Big House. The building loomed above us, warning us to walk away while we could but at the time I didn't completely understand why.

I looked at the son of Hephaestus. "Leo, wh-" He clamped his hand over my mouth, putting a finger on his lips in silence. He shot me a pointed glare and I shut up, mildly surprised.

He gestured to the Big House and gingerly walked over. I hesitated for a moment but followed nonetheless. I could hear voices coming from inside and understood why Leo had shushed me: they might have heard us.

"But Chiron, you know I don't have any choice!" Percy's voice cuts through the air in a nervous half-shout. I spare a glance at Leo and he looked just as confused as I was at Percy's outburst. Percy didn't often shout.

There was silence for a moment before Chiron spoke and sounded slightly worried when he finally voiced his thoughts. "Perseus, there is always a choice, but first you have to find it-"

"No Chiron!" Percy interrupted, "Rachel and I have seen it! If I don't.." His voice trailed off at the end in a low muffle so Leo and I couldn't hear him, so I doubt it was intended - he didn't know we were here, after all.

Unfortunately, Leo decided take the opportunity to knock on the oak door, apparently thinking it was a good idea to interrupt a brilliant chance to understand what our friend was going through. Rap, tap, tap!

I heard Chiron's voice from inside, "Come in!"

Leo walked in and I reluctantly followed behind him. Chiron raised an eyebrow, "Excuse my rudeness but is it urgent, or can it wait?"

Leo shrugged and pulled out the blueprints, "Pretty urgent but I guess it could wait.."

"May I?" Chiron inquired. He held out a hand and Leo handed him the blueprints. He inspected it with squinting eyes for a few minutes, eventually handing it back, "Unfortunately I don't know the language, but might I ask how you found it?"

Leo rubbed his neck and hesitated to speak. Chiron sighed and made a shooing motion with his hands. We reluctantly left them and defeatedly walked down the grassy hill towards our scheduled activities. The breeze whispered in my ear, howling a nonexistent gale in my thoughts, scattering them around and making my head spin.

I heard a shout from behind us and turned to see a wide-eyed Percy Jackson rushing towards us, "Wait!"

He slipped on the wet grass and tumbled the distance left, crashing into Leo and I and we suddenly were a muddled heap on the ground. I groaned, "What do you want, Jackson?"

He grinned lopsidedly at us as he stood up, offering a hand; I swatted it to the side but Leo accepted it and stood up.

"Oh, you know, just to ask about this mysterious blueprint of yours - care to share?" Percy sarcastically asked.