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DAYS IN THE SUN

chapter thirty-nine
❛ 𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚙 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚒𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚔𝚎. ❜

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

      AMARA WASN'T ONE to stay away from a fight, not when she had a debt to repay against those she was fighting. She was slow to put back on her armor due to her shoulder, struggling with the straps until a new pair of hands appeared and carefully tightened her shoulder pads.

"I should've known," Jake Mason sat himself beside the brunette. "You wouldn't stay down long."

She rolled her eyes at the older boy, placing her wrist in his outstretched hand and he quickly fixed her gauntlets up.

"I made a promise," Amara said, quickly tying her shoes while the son of Hephaestus watched.

"The promise that could get you killed?"

She stopped, a cold look forming as she looked up at the Mason boy. "Don't act like you don't have a vendetta against them either."

"I do," Jake agreed. "But, I know it won't do no good if I die completing it."

Amara shrugged, getting to her feet and stretching her good arm. "I'll do what I need too."

The son of Hephaestus sighed. "That's what I'm afraid of, just, remember those you do have left."

With that, Jake got to his feet and made his way out of the room she claimed as hers. Her gaze stayed on the doorframe for a moment before shaking off the older boy's words, instead searching for Percy.

When she had finally found him, it was in the room beside hers and he was asleep on the bed. She sat herself next to his sleeping form, ready to wake him when he suddenly bolted up. His head clashed against hers, his hand hitting her bad shoulder and it took everything in her not to let out a cry.

"Ow!"

"Geez, Perce," Amara rubbed her forehead. She shot her boyfriend a look, who was copying her actions and had a hand over his forehead.

Percy was quiet, his head tilting to the side as he continued staring at her. "Percy?" She asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Percy's eyebrows furrowed. "What . . . what are you doing in armor? You should be resting."

"I'm fine," she knew she was lying through her teeth. Her shoulder burning from Percy's early actions, but, she wouldn't let him know that. "Nectar and ambrosia helped with the pain."

"Uh-huh," Percy's eyes were narrowed. "You can't seriously go out and fight like this, Mara."

"You're going to need every person you can," Amara argued. "Annabeth just looked in her shield. There's an army—"

"Heading south into Central Park," Percy finished her sentence. "Yeah, I know

He then explained to her about his dreams, and what he thought they could mean. "Do you think Ethan suspects about your weak spot?" She asked.

"I don't know," he admitted. "He didn't tell Kronos anything, but if he figures it out—"

"We can't let him."

"I'll hit him on the head harder next time," Percy suggested, earning a small eyeroll from his girlfriend who vividly recalled the memory. "Any idea what surprise Kronos was talking about?"

Amara shook her head. "Annabeth didn't see anything in her shield, but we both know she doesn't like surprises."

A moment of silence overwhelmed the couple, the two welcoming it as they enjoyed one another's presence until she spoke up.

"So," Amara said. "You realize it's pointless to argue about me coming along, right?"

"Pretty much," the son of Poseidon agreed. "You wouldn't listen regardless, but, I do have one condition."

She raised a brow at Percy, the older boy holding a small smile with a serious look. "You have to stay by my side the entire time, I'm not letting what happened on the bridge ever happen again."

"Percy—"

"Please Amara," he begged. "I can't, if you were with me I could at least try and make sure nothing happens to you."

"Fine." Amara sighed, earning a smile from her boyfriend. "Let's go kill some monsters."

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Amara heard the approaching army before she could see it, the noise reminding her of crowds watching a game. At the north end, the enemy vanguard broke through the woods. A warrior appeared, clothed in golden armor and leading a battalion of Laistrygonian giants with bronze axes. Hundreds of other monsters began pouring out behind them.

"Positions!" Annabeth yelled.

The children of Athena scrambled according to the plan, the idea being to force the enemy army to break around the reservoir. In order to get to the demigods they'd have to follow the trails, which had been filled with traps on either side of the water.

At first, Annabeth's plan was working like it was supposed too. The enemy divided and streamed along the shore, the trails erupting into greek fire with some of Athena's children throwing grappling hooks around the larger giants and tugging them down.

In the woods, the hunters of Artemis and the Apollo cabin worked side by side and sent a volley of arrows into enemy lines. A bolt of lightning crackled from the sky, frying a Laistrygonian giant to ashes and Amara recognized her other sister's moves.

Grover raised his pipes and played a quick tune. A roar went up from the woods on both sides as every tree, rock, and bush seemed to come alive. Dryads and satyrs raised their clubs and charged. The trees wrapped around the monsters, strangling them. Grass grew around the feet of the enemy archers, stones flew up and hit dracaenae in the faces.

The enemy slogged forward. Giants smashed through the trees, naiads fading as their life sources were destroyed. Hellhounds lunged at the timber wolves, knocking them aside. Enemy archers returned fire, Amara witnessing a huntress free fall from a high branch.

"Percy, Amara," Annabeth called to the couple, pointing at the reservoir. The Titan in the gold armor wasn't falling in line with his forces, instead heading straight towards them by walking over the water.

A greek firebomb was sent his way, exploding over the warrior. But the Titan didn't flinch, raising his palm and sucking the flames out of the air.

"Great," Amara murmured, swinging her sword to rest on her good shoulder blade. "This should be easy."

Annabeth shot the brunette a sharp look. "Hyperion, the lord of the light and titan of the east."

"Bad?" Percy guessed.

"Next to Atlas, he's the greatest Titan warrior. In the old days, four Titans controlled the four corners of the world. Hyperion was the east—the most powerful. He was the father of Helios, the first sun god."

"I'll keep him busy," the son of Poseidon promised.

"Percy, even you can't—"

"Just keep our forces together."

Amara grabbed onto his arm, ignoring the shockwave of pain that ran up her arm from using her bad shoulder. "Why do you have to play hero, Beasty?"

Her boyfriend merely grinned. "Because, someone already got hurt playing hero."

Her eyes narrowed at the meaning behind the comment, not able to get another word in before the older boy kissed her cheek and quickly advanced toward Hyperion.

Amara began spinning her sword around, her eyes locked on the Titan of the east as wind spirits circled her weapon.

"Amara, there's water." Annabeth said. "You can't go out there."

The brunette didnt acknowledge her oldest friend, her focus being only to push past the pain that she felt from using her shoulder.

Annabeth's hand landed on her good shoulder, jerking Amara back slightly as electric blue met stormy grey in a stare down. "You're being illogical and need to take a minute to think before doing anything reckless."

Amara scoffed, shoving the older girl's hand off. "I am being logical, I can handle myself."

"Really?" Annabeth narrowed her eyes. "Because it seems to me, you have a death wish. Is this what Beckendorf would want?"

The daughter of Zeus froze at her words, the blonde seemingly realizing what she had said. "Amara—"

Amara was saved from the lecture when Percy suddenly sailed past the duo, smashing into the ground a couple hundred yards. Hyperion made his way past the daughters of Zeus and Athena, closing in on his intended target.

"We're not done," Annabeth argued, nodding her head towards Percy. "Go, keep him from killing himself."

Amara stalked towards the giant, while the daughter of Athena was quick to join her siblings in battle. Electric blue met sea green, the couple giving one another a nod before Amara raised her arms.

She always wondered what would happen if her and Percy combined their individual powers, and now, she was extremely thankful for not being on the opposite side of the war and facing her boyfriend.

Clouds of water vapor swirled around the son of Poseidon, raising up and wrapping around the demigod and Titan. Wind spirits hissed, some snarling as they quickly flew into the hurricane. They were almost taunting, swirling around the Titan and laughing.

"Stop that!" Hyperion roared. "Stop that wind!"

Amara's eyes flashed to teal, electricity flickering in her palm as the winds parted an entrance into the hurricane for her to step through.

Percy stood on the opposite end of the hurricane, the Titan resting in the middle. Anger began sweeping within her as she raised her hands.

Wind spirits raced around the Titan, raising him into the air before slamming him against the grass when Amara threw her hands down and she could feel the power of the winds surging through her.

The Titan let out a roar, but she managed to hold her ground and maintained her focus on keeping him pinned.

"Percy, Amara," Grover called in amazement at the couple's creation. "How are you two doing that?"

Percy finally seemed to realize what they had created, his sea green eyes widening in amazement before a grin laced his lips. Their winds were flattening the grass in a twenty-yard radius, enemy warriors threw javelins but the wind spirits knocked them aside.

"Sweet," Percy muttered, meeting eyes with Amara and sending her a nod. "But a little more!"

Amara touched the outer shell of the storm, electricity running up and down the hurricane before turning into lightning. The clouds quickly darkened, the rain swirling faster around them.

Percy swung his sword, and she knew it wouldn't be long before she took over the storm completely. So, as a parting gift to the Titan, she looked at the bubbling electricity in her palm that seemed close to forming something.

Amara threw her hands against the grass, watching as blue electricity and wind rippled against the ground before meeting the Titan. Hyperion let out a roar once the electricity met him and he was shocked, blown off his feet by the wind spirits.

"Hey!" Grover called again. "Bring him over here!"

Percy lunged at the Titan, while Amara kept up the storm when she got back on her feet. Hyperion could barely defend himself. His eyes kept trying to ignite, but the hurricane quenched his flames.

The brunette knew she wouldn't be able to keep up the storm by herself much longer, her shoulder burning as her muscles ached. Sweat rolled down her face, and Percy met her gaze. He seemed to understand she wouldn't hold out much longer because with one final move, he propelled Hyperion across the field where Grover was waiting.

The storm broke as Hyperion landed only a few feet away from their protector. "I will not be toyed with!"

The Titan managed to get to his feet again, but Grover was faster and began playing his reed pipes. Around the grove every satyr took up the song, reminding Amara of a creek flowing over stones. The ground erupted at Hyperion's feet, gnarled roots wrapping around his legs.

"What's this?" Hyperion protested, attempting to shake off the roots. "Stop this! Your woodland magic is no match for a Titan!"

The more he struggled, the faster the roots grew. They curled around his body, thickening and hardening into bark. The satyr's song continued, the Titan's forces backing up to watch their leaders fate. His arms were becoming branches, smaller branches shooting out and growing leaves. The tree grew taller and thicker, until only the Titan's face was visible in the middle.

"You cannot imprison me!" Hyperion bellowed. "I am Hyperion! I am—"

The bark closed over his face.

Grover removed his pipes from his mouth. "You are a very nice maple tree."

Several of the other satyrs passed out from exhaustion, but they'd done their job well. The Titan's army started to retreat and a cheer went up from the Athena cabin, but their victory was short-lived as Kronos unleashed his surprise.

"Reeeeet!"

The squeal echoed through upper Manhattan, half-bloods monsters froze in terror.

Grover shot Amara a panicked look. "Why does that sound like . . . It can't be!"

"Reeeeet!" Suddenly, a huge pink creature soared over the reservoir.

"A sow!" Annabeth cried. "Take cover!"

Percy tugged Amara down with him as they ducked, demigods scattering as the creature swooped down. Her wings were pink like a flamingo's and matched the rest of her body beautifully. As she landed, her hooves slammed into the ground, narrowly missing a child of Athena. The sow stomped around, tore down half an acre of trees, and belch a cloud of noxious gas. Then she took off again, circling around for another strike.

"Don't tell me that thing is from greek mythology," Percy complained.

"Afraid so," Annabeth said. "The Clazmonian Sow. It terrorized greek towns back in the day."

"Let me guess," Percy said. "Hercules beat it."

"Nope," Amara answered. "As far as history knows, no hero has ever beat it."

"Perfect," he muttered.

The Titan's army was recovering from its shock upon realizing the sow wasn't after them, only a matter of seconds before they were ready to fight. Camp Half-Blood's forces were still in a panic, whenever the sow bleached Grover's nature spirits yelped and faded back into their trees.

"That pig has to go." Percy got to his feet, pulling Amara up with him before grabbing a grappling hook from a child of Athena. "I'll take care of it. You guys hold the rest of the enemy. Push them back!"

"But, Percy," Grover protested. "What if we can't?"

Her protector looked tired, and Amara couldn't blame him. She felt drained, and not just from her trick with the hurricane earlier. Her shoulder ached, burning everytime she even moved it.

"Retreat if you need to," Percy finally said. "Just slow them down, I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Don't do anything stupid," Amara said. "Seaweed Brain."

Her boyfriend lightly rolled his eyes, kissing her temple before pulling away. "I can say the same about you. Be careful of that shoulder, Amara, but try to move around the battlefield and get the wind gods to help everywhere."

She nodded, watching as her boyfriend swung the grappling hook like a lasso. When the sow came down for its next pass, he threw it. The hook wrapped around the base of the pig's wing. It squealed in rage and veered off, yanking the rope and Percy into the sky.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Amara did as Percy instructed, making her way around the battlefield by Aella. She lost count how many wind gods she had instructed or how many she sent where, only knowing that she had to make sure her fellow campers got the help they needed.

When she finally found Thalia, she sent Aella away to help where the lightning and wind spirit could. Together, the Grace sisters fought side by side for the next hour.

They waded into legions of dracaena, taking out all size of telkhines with every strike, destroying empousai and knocking out enemy demigods. No matter how hard they fought, more took the place of the fallen.

As the night wore on, Percy and Annabeth joined the daughters of Zeus in the battle. Eventually, the campers were backed up until they were only a block from the Empire State Building in any direction.

Amara was at Percy's side, Thalia on her other as they drove the monsters back with the power of her shield. Mrs. O'Leary bounded out of nowhere, picked up a Laistrygonian giant in her mouth, and flung him into the air like a Frisbee.

"Hold your lines!" Katie Gardner shouted, somewhere off to Amara's left.

The entrance to Olympus was only twenty feet behind them, the ring of demigods, hunters, and nature spirits guarding the doors. Amara could feel herself getting tired, her arm crying out in pain everytime she raised it.

Behind the enemy troops, a bright light began to shine. At first, she thought it was the sunrise until she realized it was Kronos riding towards them on a golden chariot. Laistrygonian giants bore torches before him, two Hyperboreans carrying his black and purple banners. Kronos seemed fresh and rested, his powers back to full strength.

Annabeth shimmered into existence beside Percy. "We have to fall back to the doorway. Hold it at all costs!"

As Percy was about to order a retreat, a hunting horn sounded. It cut through the noise of the battle like a fire alarm. A chorus of horns answered from all around them, echoing off the buildings of Manhattan.

Amara raised a brow at her older sister, but the huntress frowned. "Not the hunters," Thalia assured her. "We're all here."

"Then who?"

The horns got louder and she couldn't tell where they were coming from because of the echo, but it sounded like an entire army was approaching. Then to her left, a hundred monsters cried out at once. Kronos's entire northern flank surged forward. Amara gripped her sword tighter, but they didn't attack. They ran straight past the demigods and crashed into their southern allies.

A new blast of horns shattered the night. The air shimmered. In a blur of movement, an entire cavalry appeared as if dropping out of light speed.

"Yeah, baby!" a voice wailed. "Party!"

A shower of arrows arced over their heads and slammed into the enemy, vaporizing hundreds of monsters. But those weren't regular arrows, they made whizzy sounds as they flew. Some had pinwheels attached to them, others had boxing gloves rather than points.

"Centaurs!" Annabeth yelled.

The Party Pony army exploded into their midst in a riot of colors, tie-dyed shirts, rainbow afro wigs, oversize sunglasses, and war-painted faces. Some had slogans scrawled across their flanks like HORSEZ PWN or KRONOS SUX.

"Percy!" Chiron shouted from across the battlefield. Amara couldn't help the sigh of relief that slipped out at the sight of the centaur. He was dressed in armor from the waist up, his bow in hand, and he was grinning in satisfaction. "Sorry we're late!"

"Dude!" Another centaur yelled. "Talk later. Waste monsters now!"

He locked and loaded a double-barrel paint gun and blasted an enemy hellhound bright pink. As soon as it splattered the hellhound, the monster yelped and dissolved into a pink-and-black puddle.

"Party ponies," a centaur yelled. "South Florida!"

"Heart of Texas Chapter!"

"Hawaii owns your faces!"

It was the most amusing thing Amara's ever seen. The entire Titan army turned and fled, pushed back by a flood of paintballs, arrows, swords, and NERF baseball bats. The centaurs trampled everything in their path.

"Stop running you fools!" Kronos yelled. "Stand and Ackk!"

The Titan lord was cut off by a panicked Hyperborean giant stumbling backward and sitting on top of him. The demigods pushed them for several blocks until Chiron yelled. "Hold! On your promise, hold!"

It wasn't easy, but eventually the order got relayed up and down the ranks of centaurs, and they started to pull back, letting the enemy flee.

"Chiron's smart," Annabeth said, wiping the sweat off her face. "If we pursue, we'll get too spread out. We need to regroup."

"But the enemy—"

"They're not defeated," Amara agreed, slipping her necklace back over her head. "But the dawn is coming. At least we've bought some time."

Percy nodded, interlacing his fingers with Amara's as they made their way inside the Empire State Building.

After regrouping, they were quick to adjust their plans and set up a two block perimeter with the command tent being the Empire State Building. Chiron informed them that the Party Ponies had sent centaurs from almost every state in the Union. Roughly five hundred total had answered his call.

"Dude," said a centaur named Larry. "That was more fun than our last convention in Vegas!"

"Yeah," said Owen from South Dakota. "We totally wasted them!"

Chiron patted Owen on the back. "You did well, my friends, but don't get careless. Kronos should never be underestimated. Now why don't you visit the diner on West 33rd and get some breakfast? I hear the Delaware chapter found a stash of root beer."

"Root beer!" They almost trampled each other as they galloped off.

Chiron smiled at the three demigods, Annabeth quick to give him a hug while Mrs. O'Leary licked his face.

"Ack," the centaur grumbled. "Enough of that, dog. Yes, I'm glad to see you too."

"Chiron, thanks," Percy said as he wrapped an arm around Amara's waist. "Talk about saving the day."

He shrugged. "I'm sorry it took so long. Centaurs travel fast, you know. Even so, getting all the centaurs together was no easy task. The Party Ponies are not exactly organized."

His gaze landed on Amara. Her curly brown hair was messy with monster dust spread on her blood soaked denim jacket. But he could tell she was exhausted, not only from her arm that she seemed to avoid moving. He could tell she was keeping everything buried, just under the surface, but he knew she was only an accident away from snapping, breaking, and losing it.

"How'd you get through the magic defenses around the city?" Annabeth asked drawing his attention to her.

"They slowed us down a bit," Chiron admitted, "but I think they're intended mostly to keep mortals out. Kronos doesn't want punny humans getting in the way of his great victory."

"So maybe other reinforcements can get through," Percy said hopefully.

Chiron stroked his beard. "Perhaps, though time is short. As soon as Kronos regroups, he will attack again. Without the element of surprise on our side . . ."

"And Typhon?" Amara asked, her father crossing her mind.

The centaurs face darkened. "The gods are tiring. Dionysus was incapacitated yesterday. Typhon smashed his chariot, and the wine god went down somewhere in the Appalachians. No one has seen him since. Hephaestus is out of action as well. He was thrown from battle so hard he created a new lake in West Virginia. He will heal, but not soon enough to help. The others still fight. They've managed to slow Typhon's approach. But the monster can not be stopped. He will arrive in New York by this time tomorrow. Once he and Kronos combine forces—"

"Then what chance do we have?" Percy said. "We can't hold out another day."

"We'll have to," Thalia argued. "I'll see about setting some new traps around the perimeter." She looked exhausted. Her jacket was smeared in grime and monster dust, but she managed to get to her feet.

"I will help her," Chiron decided. "I should make sure my brethren don't go too overboard with the root beer."

Percy spared Amara look, her head resting against his shoulder while she avoided moving her bad shoulder as much as possible. His gaze moved to Annabeth next, who was cleaning monster slime off her dagger.

"At least your mom and dad are okay," Percy said, earning the girls attention.

"If you call fighting Typhon okay," Annabeth muttered. "Percy, even with the centaurs help, I'm starting to think—"

"I know," Percy paused. "Listen, there were some . . . some visions Hestia showed me."

"You mean about Luke?"

"Yeah," he said. "You, Amara, Thalia, and Luke. The first time you met, and the first time you met Hermes."

Annabeth slipped her knife back into its sheath, meeting eyes with Amara. "Luke promised he'd never let us get hurt."

"He said," Amara spoke up, earning her boyfriend's attention. "He said we'd be a nice family, and it would turn out better than his."

"Thalia talked to me earlier," Percy said. "She's afraid—"

"That we can't face Luke," Annabeth said miserable.

Percy nodded. "But there's something else you should know. Ethan Nakamura seemed to think Luke was still alive inside his body, maybe even fighting Kronos for control."

Amara knew Annabeth like the back of her hand, and despite the blonde trying to hide it, she could see her oldest friend's mind starting to work on the possibilities of that being true.

"I didn't want to tell you guys," Percy admitted.

Annabeth stared at the Empire State Building. "Percy, for so much of my life, I felt like everything was changing, all the time. I didn't have anyone I could rely on."

Amara nodded, her oldest friend's attention turned to her.

"I ran away when I was seven. Then with Luke, Amara, and Thalia, I'd thought I'd found a family. But, it fell apart almost immediately. What I'm saying . . . I hate it when people let me down, when things are temporary. I think that's why I want to be an architect."

"So you can build something permanent," Amara said, already knowing the reason. "A monument to last a thousand years."

Annabeth gave the brunette a smile. "I guess that sounds like my fatal flaw again."

"I guess I understand how you feel," Percy spoke at last. "But Thalia's right, Luke has betrayed you so many times. He was evil even before Kronos. I don't want him to hurt you guys anymore."

Annabeth pursed her lips. Amara sucked in a breath, she knew how much the older boys betrayal had hurt but even she was hoping one day things would go back to normal. "And you'll understand if I keep hoping there's a chance you're wrong."

Percy looked away, turning his attention to the Apollo cabin's makeshift hospital set up. The demigods tended to the wounded, dozens of campers and almost as many hunters.

When the son of Poseidon continued to stare at the campers of cabin seven, she nudged his side and earned his attention to land on her. "What's wrong?"

Percy blinked, offering an attempt at a smile as he shook his head. "It's nothing . . . I guess."

He returned his attention back down Fifth Avenue, when his body suddenly stiffened. His arm dropped from Amara's waist, and he bolted down the street. Amara and Annabeth shared a quick look, following after the boy.

"Percy!" Annabeth yelled. "Where are you going?"

When Amara finally joined her boyfriend's side, her body went rigid. Sitting in a beat up blue Toyota Prius were three people. The first being Paul Blofis passed out in the drivers seat, Sally Jackson was snoring in the backseat and next to her . . . was Jada Beckendorf with her head resting against the window.

"They . . . They must've seen those blue lights," Percy rattled the doors but they were lock. "I need to get them out."

"Percy, Amara," Annabeth said softly. The brunette hadn't moved, her eyes locked on her adoptive mother who could've been killed during any of the attacks.

"I can't leave them here!" Percy pounded his fist against the windshield, jerking Amara from her thoughts. "I have to move them, I have to—"

Amara placed her hand on top of Percy's, peeling it away from the windshield while Annabeth gained the attention of Chiron.

"Beasty." Sea green eyes landed on her, a wild, but desperate look residing within them as she interlaced her fingers with his. She could feel his hand trembling, his body shaking as she wrapped her good arm around his neck and pulled him down to her level.

Percy was quick to wrap his arms around her, careful to avoid her bad shoulder as his grip tightened. "It'll be okay," Amara promised, trying her hardest not to let her own anger and anxiety sweep out from seeing her adoptive mother in that state.

Chiron galloped over to the trio, Thalia sliding off his back. "What's . . . Oh dear, I see."

"They were coming to find us," Percy explained as he pulled away from Amara. "They must've sensed something was wrong."

"Most likely," Chiron agreed while Thalia sent her younger sister an apologetic look once she noticed Jada in the back. "But, Percy, Amara, they will be fine. The best thing we can do for them is stay focused on our job."

Percy attention was pulled to something in the passenger seat. Amara followed his gaze, seat belted beside Paul was a black and white greek jar about three feet tall. Its lid was wrapped in a leather harness.

"No way," he muttered.

Annabeth pressed her hand to the window. "That's impossible! I thought you left that at the Plaza."

"Locked in a vault." Percy agreed.

Chiron's eyes widened. "That isn't—"

"Pandora's jar," Percy quickly explained his meeting with Prometheus.

"Then the jar is yours," the centaur spoke grimly. "It will follow you and tempt you to open it, no matter where you leave it. It will appear when you are weakest."

Percy's fist clenched in anger as he drew his sword, cutting through the drivers side window with ease.

"We'll put the car in neutral," he instructed. "Push them out of the way, and take that stupid jar to Olympus."

Chiron nodded. "A good plan. But, Percy . . ."

Their camp director was cut off by a mechanical drumbeat growing louder in the distance, the sound of a helicopter. It was odd, hearing the sound of one after two days of dead silence within New York. A few blocks east, the monster army jeered as the helicopter came into view.

It was a civilian model painted dark red, with a bright green DE logo on the side with Dare Enterprises underneath. "You have got to be kidding me," Amara mumbled in annoyance, earning her older sister's eyes to land on her.

"What is she doing here?" Annabeth demanded. "How did she get through the barrier?"

"Who?" Thalia looked confused. "What mortal would be insane enough—"

Suddenly, the helicopter pitched forward.

"The Morpheus enchantment!" Chiron said. "The foolish mortal pilot is asleep."

Amara watched as the helicopter careened sideways, falling toward a row of office buildings. She slowly began to back up while the older children of Zeus, Poseidon, and Athena watched the helicopter in disbelief. Her electric blue eyes flashed, wind spirits flew around her as she felt the power over the winds surge through her body.

Thalia was the first to sense her, the eldest Grace turning around in time to witness the younger girls plan. "Amara," the huntress scowled.

But the brunette was faster, taking off running towards the end of the bridge and Percy and Annabeth's attention turned onto her. "Mara," Percy called. "No!"

Thalia tried to grab her arm, but it was too late. She jumped over the railing, wind spirits circling under her shoes and she shot into the air towards the helicopter. She could make out Rachel screaming the closer she got, a feat that had her rolling her eyes.

"Amara!" Rachel cried, quickly opening the side helicopter door and allowing the demigod to land inside.

"How are you going too—"

The mortal cut herself off, noticing the glare in the daughter of Zeus' eyes as the demigod opened the other side door.

"Grab onto something," Amara ordered. "It's gonna be rough."

Rachel did as she was told, strapping herself into the passenger seat while making sure the sleeping pilot was strapped in. Amara made her way back into the middle of the helicopter, kneeling as she put her hands against the floor. "Here goes nothing."

She began summoning wind spirits and gods alike, teal overlapping her electric blue eyes while blue electricity flickered from her orbit. The helicopter nearly crashed into the side of building, when wind blew the machine into the opposite direction.

The redhead let out a yell, holding on tightly as the helicopter spun out of control. Amara let out a grunt, her eyes narrowing at the enemies wind spirits and she pushed her hands down harder against the floor. Wind picked up within the machinery, slowly coming to a stop as she gained control.

"You're doing it," Rachel murmured, her eyes wide as she stared at the demigod. Spirits flowed around the daughter of Zeus, electricity flickering as they began to descend. "You're actually doing it."

It wasn't long after that the helicopter finally landed on the ground. Amara fell back, attempting to catch her breath while the older children of Zeus and Poseidon raced their way. Rachel unstrapped the pilot, making her way out and the brunette followed last.

Percy stared at his girlfriend, his eyes slightly wide in amazement. "How did you do that?"

"A little trick with the winds," Amara muttered, trying to hold back her annoyance from the fact she had to be the one to save the redhead.

"You saved my life," Rachel said.

"Yeah, well . . . let's not make a habit of it," she raised a brow at the mortal. "What are you doing here? Don't you know better than to fly into a war zone?"

"I—" Rachel glanced at Percy. "I had to be here. I knew Percy was in trouble."

Thunder rumbled as Amara's eyes narrowed, a cold look forming in her eyes. "Well, I have some injured friends I've got to tend to. Glad you could stop by, Rachel."

"Mara—" Percy attempted to grab her hand, but she tore it away and stormed off. Thalia shot the Jackson boy a look, quick to follow after her younger sister.

The huntress ran in front of the younger demigod, cutting her off. "Lia—"

The eldest Grace put up her hand, stopping Amara from finishing her sentence. "You're being reckless, putting your life on the line when there's no need for it. You got stabbed, and you're acting like it never happened. You may be half god, but don't forget that other half? It's human."

Her electric blue eyes narrowed at her older sister, the latter's dark electric blues meeting hers in a stare down.

"If this is your way of dealing with Beckendorf's death," Thalia stepped closer. "Then you better try harder in front of me, because I can see right through you Ara. You need to mourn, he had last words for you and you completely ignored them."

"I need to be strong for Jake and Silena," Amara argued. "I don't have the time for that."

"And who will be there for you?"

"I don't need anyone."

She tried to walk around Thalia, but the older girl was quick to block her. "You're wrong," Thalia argued. "Beckendorf was there for you when I . . . was gone, all those years. So without him, who will you turn to? Or, will you keep bottling everything up until it eventually gets you killed?"

"You know nothing about that," Amara spat.

"What?"

"You weren't there. You were dead, remember?"

The huntress went quiet, her dark electric blue eyes turning soft. "You were dead for seven years. Seven years, Thalia! I was alone, you left me all alone how could you do that!" Tears begin willing up in Amara's eyes. "My big sister, the only one of our family I had left because everyone else was gone!"

The brunette got closer to the older girl, shoving her backwards as her rage began seeping out. Thalia didn't react, her gaze locked on the ground beneath as Amara kept going. "Then, I finally got you back just for you to run off again! My older sister, who promised never to leave my side, did."

"Amara—"

"My older sister," Amara snapped. "Trying to tell me what I need and don't need, when she wasn't there for me! He was there, he picked up the pieces you broke!"

Tears threatened to run down the younger girl's face, but she blinked them away while their argument earned the attention of huntresses and campers alike.

"So don't you dare, come back into my life and act like you care or know anything." She shook her head at the older girl. "I know what I need to do for him, you don't get to tell me anything!"

"Amara," Thalia finally looked up from the ground, a guilty look resting on her face. "I'm sorry, I know words can never make up for it but I'm sorry for abandoning you again."

Amara scoffed, but the eldest Grace kept going. "I'll try to make it up, I swear, but I can't make it up if you're almost getting yourself killed."

"I'm tired of people making promises," the brunette muttered. "You're just like Luke, and Charles."

With that, Amara shoved her shoulder against her older sisters while Thalia stood frozen in place. The words racing through her head as she finally turned around to walk the younger girl walk off, knowing she was a ticking time bomb until she eventually explodes.

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02-04-25

hello hello ! ugh i love this chapter so much. the buildup for amara slowly to explode is so good, i've been slowly hinting at it but i was so excited to finally show it this chapter because she's only going to get worse as time goes on ! i hope you all enjoyed this chapter !