[de reunitione]

In Tessa's opinion, summer was more than just a season at Camp Half-Blood. As soon as she saw the masses of campers begin to file into the valley in late May and early June, she could almost feel the air begin to spark with a new energy. Everything seemed to brighten, from the sun radiating down on them to the waves of the Sound. Music could be heard from the Apollo campers and the satyrs at almost all hours of the day, punctuated by laughter and chatter as half-bloods raced to their training and activities for the day.

As this was her fourth time experiencing it, Tessa had grown accustomed to feeling the energy that was summer in her years at camp, but it somehow always managed to lift her spirits. And given what she'd been through in the past year, she needed it.

Tessa shook the thought out of her head as she flew down the steps of Cabin Three, her turquoise eyes scanning the clipboard gripped in her hands. She'd gone over the papers a million times, but she still couldn't seem to make an adamant decision for college in the fall.

At that, her gait slowed. Just the mere thought of what awaited her in New Rome in three months was enough to make her feel as if she'd been doused with water, its power reenergizing her veins. She'd be attending New Rome's university with the rest of her friends, as well as her boyfriend, Kaden Gray. It was such a mundane thing to be excited for, one that Tessa never knew she'd live to see, but each time she looked over the papers that Kaden had sent her and their friends, it felt like the day was getting closer and closer.

Kaden...oh, how Tessa missed him. It was strange not seeing him floating through camp, flanked by Reese on one side and another one of their friends, hearing his charming voice and laugh, seeing the glimmer in his emerald eyes like the sunrise over the sea. He radiated a sense of home that in the past few months, Tessa longed for but knew she'd feel again soon.

After their time in Camp Jupiter, Kaden had been elected as praetor of New Rome. So there he stayed, ruling alongside Kaya Blackwood, the daughter of Trivia, over the Twelfth Legion. That had been in January, and now mid-June, Tessa missed her boyfriend with everything she had.

Tessa had been so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed the platinum-haired boy she was about to run into. However, given her four years of combat training, she was able to stop herself in time before she collided into Eli, the son of Ahklys.

"Eli!" Tessa exclaimed, blinking up at him. "Sorry about that."

"No worries," The blue-eyed boy flashed her his signature boyish grin before glancing at the papers that had begun to flutter to the ground in their collision. He bent down to pick one up, and Tessa bit her lip as he looked back at her with an impish look. "College stuff again?"

Tessa gave him a look, snatching back the paper. "Yes, again, it's a very big decision."

"I'm sure," Eli nodded solemnly, his eyes flicking back over the paper. "Journalism or marine biology? Whatever shall you do?"

Tessa whacked him with her clipboard. "Shut up," She laughed.

Eli put his hands up in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, I give up," He chuckled. "I'm just saying, if Chiron catches you doing this instead of inspections again."

"I'm doing them!"

"Your own cabin doesn't count."

Tessa huffed a breath, sliding the stack of collegiate papers aside to show her friend the scroll that had already been filled with checks and x's. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to give this to Chiron."

Eli blinked, as if suddenly remembering something. "Uh, actually I can do that for you."

Tessa knit her eyebrows together in confusion. "Why?"

"I just remembered and Bree's busy planning for Capture the Flag this week so she can't teach swordplay today. She asked me to ask you if you could fill in for her." Eli's words stumbled into one another as he spoke, and there was a pause before he tried for a weak smile.

Tessa eyed the son of Ahklys suspiciously. While Eli normally did serve as a sort of messenger between campers and cabins and even camps, he never was this nervous to report something? A small flare of anxiety erupted in the pit of Tessa's stomach as she thought, but she forced it away; she could trust Eli, his days in the Regiment and all it entailed were long behind them.

"Alright," Tessa sighed at last, handing the pale-haired boy her clipboard. "Make sure you don't lose that college stuff, it's important."

Eli tried to salute to her without dropping the papers, but the effort made him seem like a waiter in an earthquake. Tessa stifled a laugh and turned on her heel, sauntering towards the arena.

Tessa glanced around the training arena when she arrived, and as she reached the center, made two discoveries. One, that it was entirely empty and not a young Greek pupil to be trained, and two, that Eli was a filthy liar.

"Unbelievable," Tessa grumbled, a hand on the hilt of Tempest at her side.

"Y'know," A voice drawled, causing Tessa to draw her sword. "I don't think I've ever seen you this confused."

The voice registered in Tessa's mind, and with a flip of her heart, she whirled around. Leaning against the sideline barrier of the arena was Kaden Gray, son of Venus. His arms were folded across his chest, and his signature smirk was lacing his lips. The sunlight refracted off of his glittering emerald eyes, and just as it always was, his chestnut hair seemed to have been tousled by a soft wind.

"Kaden," Tessa breathed, her eyes wide.

The son of Venus grinned. "Hey, Tessa."

The daughter of Poseidon dropped her sword and bolted towards her boyfriend, and the next thing she knew, she was in his arms, being spun around in the air. Her mind seemed to be short-circuiting from the fact that he was here, he was here, he was here.

"I missed you," Tessa whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Kaden smiled wistfully and leant forward, pressing a passionate kiss to her lips. Tessa felt the world slip away from around them as she kissed back, the longing and love lacing the kiss a feeling she'd missed. It was better than ambrosia, nectar, just about anything that people could use to feel a sort of happiness they couldn't obtain. Kaden was all of that, a myriad of miracles that felt like home.

Tessa pulled away from the kiss, smiling up at her boyfriend. She gave him a quick once-over and gave him a sly look. "Did you get taller?"

Kaden laughed, the sound sending a skip through Tessa's heart. "I did grow a few inches, thank you very much." He gave Tessa the same once-over. "I see you're still short."

Tessa aimed a half-hearted swing at his head, but Kaden only ducked. "I'm five-five, you idiot."

Kaden put his hands up in mock surrender, but pulled her in for a hug once more. "It's so good to be back," he exhaled.

"Not that I'm complaining, but how are you here?" Tessa pulled back to look at him.

Confusion etched onto Kaden's face. "You don't know?"

"Clearly," Tessa responded. "What's up?"

"Nothing, just..." Kaden cleared his throat. "Kaya told us that Amelie had reports on the portals reactivity so she sent Imogen and I to touch base with her."

Tessa's expression softened at the sound of the daughter of Hecate's name. After the death of her boyfriend, Flynn Hale, in the Battle of New Orleans, Amelie had dedicated all of her free time to studying and investigating Orion's portals which she believed to still be functioning. She was becoming more shut-off, more reclusive...an almost mirror image of her boyfriend's grieving brother, Reese.

Tessa took a deep breath, forcing the thoughts away. She glanced back up at Kaden and nodded. "Let's go see Amelie, then."

~~

What Tessa didn't expect to see in the rec room of the Big House was Amelie and Sophia working together at the speed of sound. The two girls had set up camp, with stacks upon stacks of books and scrolls lying around the room. Smartboards had been hauled in, with mathematical equations covering the screens. Sitting nearby were Imogen and Reese, and Chiron was discussing something with Amelie as Sophia scrawled away at a sheet of paper.

Sophia glanced up as Tessa and Kaden walked in, her eyes bloodshot. "Hey guys," She greeted.

"Hi," Tessa said, eyeing the mess in a mix of shock and amusement. "What's this all about?"

Amelie walked over from where she'd been talking with Chiron, a wild look in her pale irises. "I'm glad you asked," She exhaled. "Kaya and I have been working on this since...since January and we think that we have a lead."

"A lead to what?" Imogen asked. The daughter of Cupid looked the same as she'd been when Tessa had last seen her, shoulder-length golden hair, bright eyes, and makeup done to a tee. Her hand was clasped in Reese's, and Tessa felt her heart soften at seeing the son of Apollo.

After his twin brother's death, Reese was spiraling down a vortex that no one knew how to free him from. He was quieter, darker, and Tessa knew why. While both Hale brothers were the son of Apollo, Flynn was a sort of light in Reese's life that had been ripped away from him at the hand of an enemy. Flynn had dissolved into flames through a portal, and after Reese killed Orion in revenge, he'd been...different.

Tessa tore her gaze from her friend sadly, returning her focus to Amelie's explanation.

"I set up a spell similar to the one I had implemented around Zeus' Fist last winter to monitor the Labyrinth's activity," The daughter of Hecate explained. "So if the portals were somehow opened or people were passing through them again, I'd know about it."

"And someone has?" Kaden asked.

Amelie nodded, taking a deep breath. "You guys might not like this next part, but...a few days ago I was able to get another sort of report from the spell, and someone triggered it. I manipulated the magic to tell me who it was and...it was Vinny."

Tessa felt the sorrow in her heart morph into unbridled rage at that. Her hands clenched into fists at her side, and at the mere mention of the traitor's name, she felt like she needed to rip something apart—preferably the boy in question.

"I wasn't sure as to where he was going at first," Amelie said, stepping over Sophia as she looked through books on the floor. "But I did some more magic and was able to come up with a rather startling discovery."

The daughter of Hecate waved her hand, and magic flew from her hands into the air, forming a glowing map of the world. Three pulsing dots hovered over the map, in front of London, and two different ones over New York.

"He's been to New York and London?" Reese spoke, his voice laced with confusion. Hearing him speak had become somewhat of a rarity nowadays that Tessa almost jumped at the sound of it.

Amelie bit her lip and glanced to Chiron. The centaur, who had been observing carefully in the corner, nodded to her and addressed the others. "He's been visiting these cities, yes, but...not presently. It seems as if Vindex has been utilizing the portals to travel between time and space."

Silence filled the room and Tessa had to take a deep breath as to center her focus.

"Why?" Tessa asked, her voice gravelly.

"That's where I called in Sophia," Amelie pointed to the daughter of Athena who stood from her seat, running a hand through her fiery hair.

"Alright, so I was able to do some research as to why Vinny might be traveling to these certain eras. He visited New York City twice, once in the 1940's and another in the 1920's, before ending up in Victorian-era London." Sophia walked over to the Smartboard, tapping a few places on the screen as she spoke. "Now, according to the mythological archives in Olympus, the two camps, and the like, everything had been accounted for...until a few days ago."

Kaden knit his eyebrows together in confusion. "So...Vinny stole something and now he's floating through time?"

"Close," Sophia's voice took on a darker tone. "If the two circumstances are linked, the archive Vinny visited and stole from was located in Tartarus. There's only one object under high security down there, and if he has it, then it bodes very bad news for the rest of us."

"Kronos' scythe," Reese's eyes widened in dread. "Please tell me he doesn't have it."

Sophia sent the son of Apollo an apologetic look. "We can't be sure, but I did some more research. The usage of the portal occurred only shortly after the break-in to the Tartarus vault, which indicates that Vinny jumped through after he supposedly stole the scythe. However, I looked through history, and found that there have been reports of other mythological items being put on display in certain areas in certain cities at certain times."

Tessa shook her head, trying to grasp all of the information. "Hold on, let me get this straight. Vinny stole the scythe, then went back in time to steal these other things?"

"He'll try to steal them," Sophia corrected.

"But why?" Imogen countered.

Sophia took a deep breath. "The three items that we think Vinny might have his eye on to steal are Artemis' bow, Poseidon's trident, and a sword called Crocea Mars. It belonged to Julius Caesar, who was the legacy of Venus back in his day."

"Okay, but yet again, why?" Imogen flashed Sophia a look.

Sophia cleared her throat. "Here's where our theory comes into play," She started. "If Vinny is really stealing these items which hold considerable amounts of power, said power would be able to stabilize the rest of the portals. Which is bad."

"And since these objects would be stolen from certain eras, they'd need to be returned by the next time they'd be archived." Amelie interjected.

"Which," Chiron concluded. "Is the solstice in three days."

"Wait, why the solstice?" Kaden asked.

"Not this solstice," Chiron corrected. "The solstice of the years he would have traveled to. The day and month do not change, but the year does. If Vinny traveled through the portals on June 15th, 2016, then he would reappear in New York on June 15th, 1940, and so on."

"Basically," Sophia clapped her hands together. "Time still continues normally, and Vinny is trying to beat a deadline of the solstice to steal his relics."

'Or else...kaboom?" Imogen tried for a weak smile.

"In a nutshell," Amelie nodded.

Tessa took a deep breath. Part of her felt as if she was dreaming, but then again, what'd she expect? Her father was a god from 3000 years ago and she could talk to sea creatures. Weird was a definition of her life.

"So where do we come in?" Tessa asked, breaking the awkward silence that had begun to encroach upon the room.

"A group needs to go through a replica portal which Amelie will create to the eras that Vinny has reported to be in. You'll be teleported to the era that Vinny is currently in, so customs and things might change. Your mission is to apprehend the items that Vinny has stolen or is planning to steal back to the where they came from by the summer solstice in whichever year you got them from." Chiron explained, clasping his hands together before him.

Silence once again filled the air as Chiron did a headcount, and Tessa found herself reaching for Kaden's hand for reassurance. Her boyfriend squeezed her hand tightly, and Tessa allowed the pressure to spur her focus again.

Mission through time to find some ancient powerful relics before a traitor used them to stabilize a room full of portals that could be used to bring back anyone from any time or dimension? Oh, it must be Tuesday.

"When do we leave?" Reese's voice broke the silence, but there was a hidden look in his blue eyes. Tessa narrowed her eyes at the archer, trying to read him from the distance.

"As soon as the fifth member of the group arrives," Amelie frowned, scanning the room.

As if on cue, rapid footsteps filled the house, and before long, a panting Eli stood in the rec room. "Sorry, I'm late," He glanced up. "What'd I miss?"

~~

"Sophia and I will be monitoring the portals at all times until the solstice, which you all have to be back on." Amelie explained to the group as they stood in one of the empty bedrooms of the Big House. A glittering purple portal now had erupted into existence before them.

"How will we know when to move on?" Kaden asked, swinging his jacket over his shoulder.

"When you find the relic from each era, a new portal will form nearby. It's up to you guys to jump through it, because if you have the relic, the portal only forms to satisfy Vinny, who'll believe that the item is in the wrong place. He'll jump to the next era, so you all will have to follow." Amelie answered.

Tessa folded her arms over her chest. "What're we supposed to do about the other people?" She asked.

Sophia nodded, handing each of them a small pin. "Amelie made these especially for you guys. The first era you get to, you'll have to find the clothing of that time before anything else. As soon as you have that, pin these onto the fabric. The next time you jump through time, the magic within the pin will automatically change the clothing into the fashion for that time."

Imogen nodded in impression at that, pocketing the pin. "Can you make me one of these for everyday life? That'd get rid of the whole what to wear hassle."

If Amelie was amused, she didn't show it. She stalked over to the portal, eyeing each of the travelers. "Remember: blend in, find the relic, move on. You have to have all three of the relics before you can return them to their rightful times."

"So we're essentially jumping through time six times?" Reese asked incredulously. "One round to get the relics and another to bring them back?"

"Essentially." Sophia confirmed.

"Unbelievable," Reese muttered. The son of Apollo seemed to be back in his old attitude, but Tessa knew it was just for show. It was like Tessa's battle senses; when the time called for it, her personality could change in an instant.

"I'm not sure which era Vinny's in now, but you have to be gone by the next day in whatever era you'll be in." Amelie took a deep breath. "Yeah, all of this is confusing."

"You think?" Tessa and Kaden chorused.

Amelie brushed it off. "It's noon now, so whatever era you'll be in will match the time and date. Just remember that, and good luck." She stepped aside and waved to the portal. "Now...who's first?"

Tessa glanced at her friends, but before she could take one for the team, Eli beat her to it. The platinum-haired boy walked forward, and with a deep breath, he disappeared in a flash of light.

Tessa bit back the nerves that were building at the sight of another portal, tightening her grip on Tempest in her pocket, and walking forward. And with every ounce of will she had within her, she stepped through the portal and light erupted around her.