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We flew for about six hours, until Dad landed us in a forest by a lake.

"Where are we?" Raiden asked.

"Trinity Alps Wilderness, Northwestern California, United States," I said automatically. "Right by Smith Lake."

"How do you know that?" Raiden asked incredulously.

"No idea," I said.

"Okay," Dad said, after he had turned back in a human. "It's nearly sunset. Let's gather dinner and set up camp."

"Okay, Raiden, Me, and Agro will go gather food," I said. "Aidan and Pher can go get water. Dad, Zoë, and Snow can set up camp. Sound good, everyone?"

"Okay," Dad said.

"Sounds good," Aidan said.

"Meet back here in an hour," Dad said.

I led Raiden and Agro deeper into the forest.

"What are we looking for?" Raiden asked.

"Berries," I said.

Or deer, Agro barked, licking her lips.

"Or deer," I agreed.

Walked for about 15 minutes, before coming to the clearing. It was full of flowers.

"Look!" Raiden pointed at a tree with red berries hanging off it. "Let's grab those!"

She was about to grab them, but I knocked her hand away.

"Don't!" I said warningly. "Those are Holly berries. They're poisonous."

"Oh." Raiden looked embarrassed that she had almost poisoned herself. "What about those?"

She pointed at some blueberries.

"Those are fine," I said. "Let's pick some. C'mon."

We picked several armfuls of berries and walked back to the camp, where Dad and Zoë already had the tents set up in a half-circle. In the middle of the half-circle was a fire, crackling merrily. Over it was a deer roasting on a spit. Aidan wasn't back yet.

"Where's Aidan?" I asked Dad, who was adding more wood to the fire.

"I dunno, kid," Dad said, straightening up. "I haven't seen him."

Just then, someone screamed and yelled, "HELLLLPPPPP!"

"It's Aidan!" I yelled. "I'd recognize that girlish-scream anywhere."

I sprinted in the direction of where the yell had come from, Agro at my heels, and found Aidan hanging upside down, his ankle caught in a classic snare-hunting trap. Pher was below him, trying to get him down.

"Aidan," I said, skidding to a stop underneath him. "How the heck did you get up there?!"

"I was just walking back with the water," Aidan said, his face reddening with every second. "And I stepped into an illegal hunting trap and suddenly, I'm up here! Can you get me down, please?"

"Of course, little brother," I said, climbing up the tree.

I unsheathed one of my daggers and slashed through the rope holding Aidan up. He crashed to the ground in a heap.

"Thanks," Aidan said, standing up.

"Okay, let's go," I said. "Did you get any water?"

"Yeah, we did," Aidan said, pointing at Pher.

I have it! Pher barked through the handles of the buckets of water in her mouth.

"Great!" I said. "Now, we can go back and eat dinner!"

"You okay, kid?" Dad asked Aidan.

"I'm fine, Dad," Aidan said.

We divided the berries up and deer meat. Dad took the water Aidan and Pher had got and poured it into cups he had brought in his backpack.

I took the reddest and juiciest berry, dropped it into the fire, and said, "Artemis."

I added very quietly, "Mom, I could use some help. Aidan's been acting weird lately, and he's been avoiding me. I don't know what's going on with him. If you could, like send a note excusing me from this quest or whatever, that would be great. Thank you."

I sat down by the fire and ate my share of the berries and the deer meat, leaning against Agro, who was chewing on a bone she'd found.

After dinner, we started to get ready for bed. We all had separate tents to sleep in, except Aidan, Pher, Agro, and I. We always shared a tent.

I was laying in my tent with Agro as my pillow when Aidan came in, looking uncomfortable.

"I'm gonna have my own tent this time, okay?" He said.

"Oh, okay," I said, surprised. "Any reason why?"

"Nothing, I just..." Aidan mumbled and didn't continue.

He left my tent, and I turned to Agro.

"What the Hades was that about?" I asked her.

I don't know, Agro said. But I'm worried about him. He hasn't been himself lately.

"I know," I said. "I noticed. Let's just go to bed now and worry about this in the morning."

Okay. Good night. Love you, Chief.

"Love you, too," I said, laying down and closing my eyes.

I fell asleep almost immediately, but I didn't have pleasant dreams. Again. Dam it, Morpheus.

In my dreams, I found myself standing behind Raiden, again. She was trembling very hard and was visibly terrified, kneeling before Kronos.

"You failed," Kronos thundered.

"F-father," Raiden stuttered. "I-I'm sorry. I-I'll d-do better."

"No apologies!" Kronos roared. "You have been given many chances, and you have failed each time. You are deliberately saving the girl. There will be dire consequences for you."

Kronos's golden eyes then flashed to mine.

"And for you, too, Ainsley Theron."

Then, we both fell through darkness with Kronos's cold laughter in the background.

I woke with a start, drenched in cold sweat.

Agro took her head off of her paws and barked seriously, What's wrong?!

I told her about my dream.

Agro leapt to her paws.

We need to go see your father. Now!

"Okay," I said. "Let's go!"

We hurried out the tent. But before I could go wake Dad up and tell about my dream, I heard sobbing coming from Raiden's tent.

"Raiden?" I said, hurrying into her tent. "Are you okay?"

"Oh," Raiden said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Hi, Ainsley."

"What's up?" I asked sitting down next to her.

Agro lay down on the other side of her and laid her head in Raiden's lap.

"Well," Raiden said. "My father, y'know, Kronos." She shuddered. "Said in my dreams that there would be dire consequences f-for failing to k-kill-"

"To kill me," I finished.

Raiden looked startled. "How did you know?!"

"I saw you in my dreams," I said. "And I know you're working for Kronos."

Raiden burst into tears.

"Hey, hey," I said, putting my arms around her. "It's okay. I know you don't mean it."

"Of course, I don't mean it!" Raiden sobbed. "But I don't have a choice. He'll kill me if I don't!"

"What?!" I yelled. "He's a monster!"

"You have no idea," Raiden said darkly, stopping crying. "When I was born, Kronos was pleased. Now he despises me."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because he wanted a son," Raiden said sadly. "And for a while, he had one. But not anymore."

"What?" I said, confused for a sec. "Oh, you're transgender?"

Raiden nodded.

"And Kronos hates you for that?" I said, hugging her tighter. "Oh, Raiden, I'm so sorry!"

Raiden shrugged. "Don't be. I'm used to it. He's hated me for 5 years."

Despite her attempt at an airy tone, I could tell she was in a a lot of pain. I hugged her even tighter.

"Akk!" Raiden said, squirming and trying to get free. "Ainsley! You're suffocating me!"

"Sorry," I said, letting go of her. "Habit."

"Kronos also hates me because I'm alesbian," Raiden said bitterly.

"I get it," I said. "People at school bullied me for being an aro-ace."

Raiden sighed. "People and Titans suck."

"Yeah, they really do," I agreed.

"Thanks for making me feel better," Raiden said, stroking Agro on the head.

"Of course," I said.

"Please don't tell anyone what I told you," Raiden said, her eyes still wet with tears. "I don't want your dad knowing. He'll tell the Olympians. And I don't need more reasons for them to hate me."

"Okay," I said. "I won't tell."

"Promise?" Raiden asked.

"I swear I won't tell anyone what you told me," I said.

"Wow," Raiden said, surprised. "You'd do that for me?"

"Of course," I said, hugging her again.