Flying on a metal dragon was not something Amber had ever expected to experience in her life, but here she was. It wasn't as uncomfortable as it had looked from outside; in fact, it was about as comfy as sitting in a car, maybe a little more. They sat single file: Leo in front, then Piper, then Amber, then Jason. Amber was very aware of Jason right behind her; last night's events were still fresh in her mind.

Leo used the reins to steer the dragon into the sky like he'd been doing it all his life. The metal wings worked perfectly, and soon the coast of Long Island was just a hazy line behind them. They shot over Connecticut and climbed into the gray winter clouds.

Leo grinned back at them. "Cool, right?"

"What if we get spotted?" Piper asked.

"The Mist," Jason said, to Amber's surprise. "It keeps mortals from seeing magic things. If they spot us, they'll probably mistake us for a plane or something."

Piper glanced over her shoulder. "You sure about that?"

"No," he admitted.

"The Mist does work like that," Amber confirmed. "Some mortals can see through it, though. Rachel can. My mom also could--can?" Amber thought about that for a moment.

"I thought--Annabeth said something about your mom being a child of Athena who dated Hermes for a while, though," Piper said.

"According to the gods, she was," Amber informed her. "She died giving birth to me. Hermes took her to May Castellan, who adopted me." She stated it with no emotion, as always. What was the point of being sad about the death of someone she never knew?

"Oh," Piper said. "I'm sorry." Amber just shrugged, even though Piper couldn't see her.

He should've taken you to someone else, that bit-

Emerald!

What? He could've easily taken you to someone who was mentally stable, but noo! It had to be May! If anyone deserves to curse him, it'd be you, actually.

I--whatever.

Amber heard a sound, and she looked back, only to realize it was just a bird. She caught Jason's eye and smiled slightly. Then she looked down and noticed he was holding a picture of--Thalia? She gave him a quizzical look, but he just blushed and put the photo in his pocket.

"We're making good time," he said. "Probably get there by tonight." Amber's glasses checked the speed they were going.

"Where are we going, exactly?" she asked.

"To find the god of the North Wind," Jason informed her. "And chase some storm spirits."

"So Quebec," she murmured, and her glasses did a few calculations. "Yep, we'll get there around sunset at this pace."

"How d'you know that?" Leo asked curiously.

"My glasses are magical," Amber replied. "They can do things like that."

"That's sick," he commented. Amber nodded.

There was silence for a while. Amber used that silence to mentally take a step back and analyze the situation, as she usually did.

Let's see, she thought. I'm currently on a quest with an amnesiac and two of my friends that have no experience with quests whatsoever. Jason is Thalia's brother that she never mentioned. I'm supposed to beware my past and attract a lot of pain. Actually, the prophecy never specified that it was my past I had to be wary of, but it most likely is.

Yep, Emerald agreed.

We're also most likely part of the Great Prophecy, which is just perfect, Amber continued. There are fields of hell in it, which probably aren't just Elysium. They could be, but they probably aren't. The other fields are Punishment, Asphodel, and...

Tartarus, Emerald finished.

Yeah. That. Amber tried to ignore the shudder that ran through her body. Jason seems to be Roman. Hera is kidnapped. Percy is gone. I have no plan whatsoever. We could easily just die at any time. We're supposed to meet Boreas and just hope he'll help us, which isn't very likely. Piper has charmspeak, although we've known that for a while. Jason can freaking fly. Maybe I should make a plan. She thought all of that in a few seonds.

Slow down, Emerald urged. You're gonna have another panic attack with thoughts like those. Close your eyes and count down from ten.

But--I need to do so many things. I need to make a plan, figure out what the hell is even happening, decipher both prophecies, try not to repeat history from our previous quest--

Close your eyes, Emerald repeated. Your breathing is already getting uneven. Amber reluctantly closed her eyes. Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth. Amber did as she was told. Now repeat it five times. Five, four, three, two, one. Now open your eyes. Is that better?

Yeah, Amber admitted. Hm...

What?

Half of these thoughts seem to circulate around Jason. I think I should just list everything I know about him so far.

Good idea. Just list the important things, though.

So, we're supposed to be friends. Hera made the Mist convince Piper and Leo he was their friend, too. He's Thalia's full brother, except the son of Jupiter. He knows Latin. He seems to know more about Roman gods than Greek. He can fly, something Thalia can't do, and summon lightning, which is something she can do. He has amnesia, but seems to know all about demigod life, even the Mist. He knew it by name, and I doubt anyone bothered to tell him the name, meaning he knew it by the same thing we call it from somewhere else. It'd most likely be too big of a coincidence for him or whoever he got the name from to have just called it the same thing, meaning he knows either someone in camp or someone who knows someone in camp. Chiron is the most likely option, since he's been acting extremely strange lately. He knows about fatal flaws, too, which, once again, I don't think he'd just happen to call them by the same name we do. He doesn't know his own, though.

Did you tell him yours?

Nope.

Okay. Good.

Anyway, Amber continued. His appearance seems to be linked to Percy's, although I don't know how. Maybe--maybe, since he showed up around Percy's home, Percy will show up around his home? Will Percy also have amnesia? I doubt he'll be able to forget Annabeth's name, though. I don't think even the Lethe could do that to him.

Not that the Lethe can even affect him, since he can't get wet, Emerald remarked.

You get what I mean, Amber sighed. Percy definitely wouldn't just run away and leave Annabeth and his mom behind, though, so, wherever he is, it's most likely against his will. Maybe--maybe Jason used to be some sort of god, who did something wrong and now has to pay for it by being mortal?

At this point, I wouldn't be surprised, Emerald commented.

Does that mean Percy's a god now? Even though he specifically said he didn't want to be one?

I don't know, Goldilocks. You're too smart for your own good. You could come up with 1,000 theories that are all right in some way, shape, or form, Emerald told her. You should rest now, though. Regain the energy you've literally never had before you meet another god who'll probably try to murder us.

But I need a plan--

Nope. You can do that later. Sleep now.

Amber mentally sighed, knowing she won't be able to win this argument. She slumped forward, into Piper's back, and almost immediately fell asleep.