He wanted them dead, there was no other explanation.

"You've got to be kidding me," said Luke when he held out the list that Chiron had given them. "This might be easy for you with that manic energy, but I don't want to do this."

"I'd rather put that 'manic' energy somewhere else," she said curtly. "Like, getting myself as far away from you as possible."

Luke challenged her with his gaze, "Do it, then. Go on, run off and we won't miss you."

"I was here first. Why don't you leave? No one would miss you, with all that sulking."

His ears were red. "I do not sulk!"

"Oh, yeah?" She started to grin maniacally when he crumpled the paper in his hands. "What do you call that pity party that has you eating lunch alone? Seems your siblings would rather have me there."

He raised his hands as if to shove her, but she was faster, whirling him into a chokehold. She let him go when she saw Chiron looking at her through the window. "You're crazy," said Luke sharply.

"And you're a dick," she told him. "Let's just get this over with. We each do one task by ourselves, divide and conquer. The last task is going to be the hardest but we can work on it together without having to see each other."

He scoffed, uncrumpling the paper and looking at the tasks again. "Well, since you're so fast, why don't you replace every grain of sand at the volleyball courts?"

"No!" she snapped. "That's the stupidest task. Why don't I repaint the cabins? I'll actually make it look nice, not like you."

Chiron had to exit the Big House again when they started bickering and drawing the attention of the other campers, who gave a series of loud groans and pretended they weren't there. Nina knew that Chiron wanted them to work together on every task– that's the part she hated the most.

They resigned themselves to starting with repainting every cabin. They disagreed heavily on how to do it. Luke wanted to do it the fast way and just add a thick coat of paint to even everything out, but Nina said that Chiron was judging them on how well they did each task and that they had to clean, sand, prime, and seal before they even started that. Luke complained that that would take forever, but she snapped that unless he wanted another three tasks added to the list, they would do it her way.

Everyone in camp was giggling and pointing at them when they saw them in messy t-shirts and with their hair all over the place. Twelve cabins to paint, and Luke insisted that if they had done it his way, they could have finished in twelve hours. She ignored him and they divided up to first sweep off all the cobwebs, power wash off any dirt, and scrape away chipped paint. That, and sanding the surface down, took them the entire first day.

On the second day, they sealed all the cracks, gaps, and nail holes. During the last hours of the day, they managed to spot-prime certain areas but had to wait until the third day to prime all the walls and apply the first coat of paint. Luke looked like he wanted to strangle her when she insisted on adding a second coat, but relented. He snapped that now there were only three days until Christmas and they'd made no progress on the other tasks.

They managed, however, to replace the sand in only two days. It was his idea to gather all of it in large trash cans and set it aside– they didn't need to worry about transporting it anywhere just yet; after all, they were told to replace the existing sand, not throw away the old one. They shoveled like madmen on the first day and were sent with Argus out into the human world to buy new sand.

They were both calmer there, knowing they had to protect each other and themselves from any monsters lurking around. Luke held the door open for her at the store. She stopped someone from running into him. The two kept looking back and forth and signaling to each other with hands to do a sweep of each aisle.

Out on the street, Nina suggested they treat themselves to some ice cream, because when else were they going to be allowed out of camp? Luke surprisingly agreed, and the two quickly bought some ice cream, scarfed it down, then called Argus to come and pick them up. They had to work together to carry the sand bags into the car, then up the hill to the camp, then down the hill to the volleyball courts.

They emptied the sand into the base and packed it down, both of them covered in sweat by the time they finished. They had no strength or motivation to carry the buckets of sand down to the beach that day. It was on the second day that they managed it little by little, making what felt like no progress. Their arms were so sore, Nina snuck them some ambrosia to ease the pain.

It was the day before Christmas and they'd yet to complete the last task– to find a rare red flower that the Apollo cabin wanted added to the infirmary supply. It was said to grow out in the woods, where campers were advised to go into armed and with company. They had the day to search for it. Luke suggested she sprint through the forest to find it. She asked why he didn't just go and steal one from a plant store and save them the trouble.

"If we hadn't taken so long painting, we would have found it by now," said Luke, leading the way through the trees. "Why the hell did it matter to do it that way, anyway?"

She gave him a look of boredom. "It's better to get things done right, or you'll have to do them again. Would you rather continue working past Christmas?"

"No," he admitted. "Why does it matter, though? Have you always been this much of a perfectionist?"

"You can't be the most competitive person if you aren't perfect," she said simply. "My father wanted everything to be perfect, so did my stepmother."

"A Formula One driver and a figure skater," he mused, as if realizing that her perfectionism was learned, as if realizing how high the expectations for her must have been. "Makes sense."

Nina nodded, questioning, "What did your mother do?"

His expression was dark, as if she shouldn't have asked that. "Nothing. She did nothing."

"Didn't mean to bring up bad memories," she said genuinely, tapping her spear to the ground. "I am sorry."

He seemed to relax, at least, she felt the tension dissipate slightly. "I don't remember her being normal," he told her. "I don't know if she was a good mother or not. She changed when I was a baby. She wanted to host the Oracle of Delphi, but she was cursed instead."

Nina's face fell– she felt the urge to hug him, which was strange. "I left because she was never stable," he told her. "She'd grab me and shake me, she'd spew green smoke and tell me about some terrible fate. I was nine when I left."

"Nine?" She couldn't believe it. How had he survived for so long? "I'm sorry. How long were you by yourself?"

"Until the start of this year," he admitted. "Thalia and I found each other in a dragon's cave outside Charleston. We teamed up, not sure where we were headed. She saved my life a dozen times. Someone we once met predicted a dark future, but he wouldn't tell me what he meant. I think he meant for me not to let myself be pushed around by the gods. We found Annabeth in an alley one day, adopted her. Traveled some more, made some safe houses.

"I'd do anything to protect the girls, including... going back to a place I was afraid of. We were in Connecticut when Thalia got injured and we needed somewhere to rest and heal. I took them to my mother's house. That's where I met my father for the first time. I hated him for being there then, when I'd prayed hundreds of times to come and do something while I was hiding from my mother during her fits. I prayed for him when we were running from monsters, and he never came."

He spoke so bitterly, "Yet there he was. Telling me he knew my fate, but he wouldn't give me answers, either. I told him I couldn't love him if he couldn't tell me the truth. So we left. I haven't trusted the gods since then; they abandoned us and left us to fend for ourselves. Every single day I prove that I am something, even without my father's help. I don't need him. I don't need anyone."

"That's why you're so protective and hyper-independent," she deduced. "I don't mean this in a bad way, it's an observation. You had no one to protect you, so you became the one protecting others, you learned you could only rely on yourself. It's very admirable."

He gave her a look. "But?" When she didn't reply, he clarified, "With you there's always a 'but.'"

"But you need to learn to trust," she suggested. "It'll get you hurt if you don't. It's good to have someone to lean on. One day you will need it."

"I could lean on Thalia," he said. "I could trust her. But the gods took her. They let this happen, they let Hades hurt her all because she was a daughter of the Big Three." The ground seemed to rumble, as if Hades hadn't liked what he said. He changed the subject, "Have you ever met your mother?"

"No," said Nina. "I don't think I ever will. She didn't care when I was stuck there with my stepbrother, she won't ever care as long as I'm safe here. I've prayed to her for the past two years, asking for a sign. All she ever did was claim me and beyond that, I don't think she cares for me much. But I thought... I thought she someday could. I'm the only child of hers that we know of." She wondered, If Hermes could love Luke so much, having so many other children, why couldn't Nike just love me?

Luke furrowed his brows. "The stepbrother that was jealous of you?"

"More than jealous," she admitted. "But I couldn't exactly tell Annabeth the truth. Especially once I learned about everything she went through with her stepmother, I knew it was just going to make her feel awful." She looked up at the sky through the branches. "She cared for me, but what she loved was my potential to be an athlete. She would wake me up at the craziest hours to train, she would starve me so my physique could be better for figure skating. She talked about how much money I would make them.

"Volkov scared me from the moment I met him. I was ten, he was twenty. He used to come into my room and scare me– I'd wake up to him staring at me and he'd cover my mouth before I could scream. He'd tell me to shut up before he killed me. I couldn't sleep, I started wetting the bed. When my dad died and my stepmom kept me, he escalated it.

"He told me he wanted to show me a pretty bird on the rooftop of the apartment building. It was scorching hot and he locked me up there with little shade. I hid until nightfall when he came to check, thinking I had died. I managed to run inside past him and went crying straight to my stepmother, but he insisted that I'd snuck up there on my own, that he went to rescue me when he realized something was wrong.

"Then, he said we were going to visit my dad's grave. I knew something was wrong when he made a different turn. He drove us to a lake and locked me in the car parked downhill. He gave it a firm push and it started to roll down. It was fast, but I was faster. I didn't know how, but I was quick enough to roll down the window and throw myself out before it hit the water. I took off running and never went home."

"How long were you on the run?" He sounded interested, he sounded sad.

"Not long," she said. "Half a year, maybe? I was quick, so I could steal from cash registers and run off without being caught. Then I learned you could join certain sports competitions and get money. I thought, okay, that's something I'm good at, something I can do somewhat honestly. By then, I was learning to control my speed a little– I'd realized something about me was different. Coach Hedge told me I was a demigod. I wanted a place to stay so bad, I just trusted him and followed him here. I'm glad I did."

"It's good that you did," agreed Luke.

Nina smiled. "Yeah, I'd rather a hydra tries to kill me than my stepbrother. I guess I abandoned my hopes of moving to Italy and finding my dad's family, but maybe I'll get to go when I'm old enough and have some sort of job."

The way he looked at her suggested he'd never thought of having a job, of leaving the camp. "What would you do? Where would you go?"

"Somewhere nearby. Use the Mist to become a coach for some university team, whatever I decide. I can play every sport and I always win. Or maybe I really would become a professional athlete. If I really try, I can run a mile in under a minute. I could break a bunch of records if I tried."

He blinked several times, as if not believing her, but then he asked, "Isn't that like, thirty meters a second? You could do a hundred-meter dash in like, four. Wasn't this year's record almost ten for women?"

She grinned, spreading her arms and feigning a bow. "I'm not currently giving autographs, thank you very much."

He rolled his eyes. It seemed playful this time. "So, is that why you're considered the best fighter in camp? You just move so fast no one can keep up with you?"

"Well, some can. Bekah from Ares, for example."

"She's seventeen, I'd be surprised if she couldn't beat you." He narrowed his eyes, as if sizing her up for a fight. "I just have to learn you, and I bet I could beat you."

"Oh, I'll make a bet on that," she said, turning around to walk backwards. "But good luck meeting the master of–"

"DUCK!" He pulled her down, hissing, "Drakon," as a cloud of poison moved over their heads. When it cleared, she was quick to get to her feet, shielding him and hefting her spear.

"You take one side, I take the other," he suggested. "It can't fight us on two fronts."

They split, Luke diving left and Nina right. The drakon snarled and whipped its head both ways, deciding to turn on Luke when Nina became a blur and disappeared behind him. He bared his fangs at Luke and lunged, but Luke held well on his own– he dodged and slashed expertly, cutting into the drakon's cheek before he could blow a new cloud of poison.

Nina scampered up its back, dragging her spear against the skin to turn him away from Luke. She held on tight as the drakon whipped sideways, nearly flinging her off. Using the spear, she dug it into its flesh and gripped the shaft, hanging on for dear life. "HEY!" Luke shouted, distracting it and prompting it to look back down. The second it did, Nina ripped herself up and ran for its head, stabbing the spear into its neck.

It flailed and screeched, Luke diving under it when it raised its head and pushing his sword directly up into its chin. The drakon burst into a cloud of gold, Nina slamming hard into the ground and nearly bringing Luke to the floor with her. He held out his hand, offering to help her to her feet. It seemed to surprise him– what surprised them both more was that she took it.

"That's not going to be the only monster we encounter here," Nina warned. "We need to find this flower fast."

The sun was beating down hard in the afternoon, the shade of the trees a gentle respite. Still, no flower became apparent. They had to have covered most of the forest by then. They ran into a hellhound and a Laistrygonian– Luke's arm was bitten and Nina's ankle was broken. Limping, they kept searching until at last the sun was starting to set. They knew they had failed, but the two seemed to realize it didn't really matter anymore– the point of Chiron's tasks had been to encourage them in respecting each other. Nina felt they'd made great strides in that.

"She needs ambrosia," said Luke, helping her into the Big House where Chiron and Mr. D were playing pinochle.

Chiron looked at them with surprise. "The woods?"

"Yeah," said Nina tiredly, grateful when Luke sat her down on a chair and helped her elevate her foot. "At this point, we probably trampled over that flower. Sorry, Chiron."

He smiled warmly, clopping over to fetch the ambrosia. He offered them both a square. "I certainly was hoping you would leave that task for last. After all, that flower does not grow here."

The two shared an exhausted look, but at least Nina was able to laugh weakly and lean her head back. "Oh, Chiron," she said. "You are funny. So, the rest was just torture?"

"Would you look at the two of you? You are not arguing anymore, are you?"

"She's still pretty annoying," said Luke.

"And he's still pretty stuck-up," added Nina.

"But?" asked Chiron.

They looked at each other again and shrugged. "But he's brave," said Nina first. "Protective and independent."

Luke added (albeit quietly), "She's competitive but she's efficient and daring. She cares a lot about people."

"You both do," said Chiron. "It is what makes you both great leaders. This camp is lucky to have you both. Now, why don't you go clean up? We're going to sing by the campfire."

They went back to the cabin, Luke offering for her to use the one washroom they had while he went to one of the bathhouses. With a thick jacket on, she went back out to the campfire and found the boys waiting for her. She grinned, sitting with Travis and Connor, who admitted that they'd been up to a bit of mischief trying to open everyone's Christmas presents. They hadn't found where Nina hid theirs.

Each cabin got a chance to sing, if they wanted, some Christmas song or another holiday melody. Normally, they sang songs like 'This Land is Minos's Land,' 'I Am My Own Great-Great-Great-Great Grandpa,' and 'Down by the Aegean.' That night, Connor asked for a rendition of 'Grandma Got Run Over by a Centaur.' Annabeth had been thrilled.

She read several Christmas books to them before bed that night, all of the Hermes campers cuddled up in their bunks listening to her voice. She felt Luke watching her from his bunk, pretending he wasn't interested in the stories. She realized that, probably, no one had ever read those to him. He was probably just as excited as the children.

In the morning, they feasted together, truly united. Luke sat with them, talked with Travis and Connor about the pack of googly eyes that Nina gave them to decorate the whole camp as they saw fit. They played games all day and, because it was still sunny for them, Nina suggested they go swimming in the lake. Luke agreed to join them, despite Annabeth being afraid to get in the water and deciding she would stay and play on the shore.

Things were different after that. The following year, they had an influx of new campers. A new son of Hephaestus named Charles Beckendorf and a new daughter of Ares named Clarisse La Rue arrived before Easter, both capable and quite interesting– Nina took great interest in teaching Clarisse to perfect her use of a spear. When summer came and more of the campers returned, she was greeted with more new faces– Silena Beauregard, daughter of Aphrodite, Castor and Pollux Riboli, twin sons of Dionysus, Chris Rodriguez, a new son of Hermes, and Ethan Nakamura, unclaimed and a new member of the Hermes cabin.

Chiron had had the idea at the end of that summer that perhaps, with almost a year there, it was time for Luke to become lead counselor of the Hermes cabin. He offered Nina the more prestigious position of athletics director, allowing her to move between the cabins and supervise all activities during the day. She'd gladly handed Luke the metaphoric keys to the kingdom and wished him luck dealing with the little ones every day during training.

That, of course, made their sessions more fun. When they were in the swordfighting arena, nothing could get between them. The entire cabin would stop their drills to watch them fight, eagerly awaiting the day that Luke Castellan would finally beat Nina Accardo and land her flat on her ass. It didn't happen when they turned fifteen and it certainly didn't happen when they were sixteen, it didn't happen even when she had a sword in her hands instead of a spear. She was too quick for him, everyone knew that.

But near Christmas, two years after their introduction, there came a day when he sidestepped and twisted the flat of his sword just enough that her own sword flew out of her hand. Everyone had gone quiet, staring in disbelief when they saw him straighten up and put his sword against her throat. Luke had been humble, he said perhaps it was because she wasn't using her spear. Yet, he'd managed to disarm her with the spear in her hand, too. That was when he'd shot her that same mischievous smile that the Stoll brothers had.

Things changed after that. The confidence boost he achieved had awakened more of his abilities. He began moving almost as fast as she did, something few of the Hermes kids were capable of. He became more persuasive as time went on, practicing with Nina and showing her all the ways he knew how to act and be a trickster like his father. He already knew how to open locks with his mind and was rather gifted with alchemy, but he transitioned into a small bit of telekinetic power, practicing with making his sword fly into his hand when he needed it.

They were a team by then. Unbeatable champions when playing capture the flag, best guards of the camp border, a constant presence in the lake challenging each other to swim further and further away from the shore. They were best friends, that much was evident to anyone who ever saw them.

(But much had changed for Nina since they were fourteen. She'd been different then, young enough that Luke had simply been someone she liked spending time with, a trusted confidant. They were seventeen now, however. Luke had once been her height and now he was much taller, with toned biceps and a smirk that drove her crazy. Her heart skipped beats when he managed to get his sword against her neck, his hair flat and damp against his forehead while he blew air out of the side of his mouth. Butterflies jumped in her stomach whenever he laughed or brushed his hand against hers. Yet, how could she ever admit that she'd developed a crush on him?)

(But much had changed for Luke since they were fourteen. He'd been different then, young enough that Nina had simply been a friend he'd gotten when he needed it most. They were seventeen now, however. Nina's features had become more defined, her curly hair down to her waist and her toned legs the first thing anyone noticed when they saw her in a running skirt. His heart skipped beats when her spear found itself pointed at his chest, her forehead beaded in sweat and her battle braid coming apart. Butterflies jumped in his stomach whenever she laughed or brushed her hand against his. Yet, how could he ever admit that he'd developed a crush on her?)

"I am glad I caught you both before another session," said Chiron, entering the arena as they both hydrated and cleaned the sweat off of their faces. "There is something we must discuss, Luke. Come with me, please." Nina shrugged at him when he looked at her for answers– how was she supposed to know?

Luke returned alone ten minutes later, jaw tight and anger in his eyes. "What is it?" she asked, pulling him aside. "What happened?"

"My father," he said flatly. "Offering me a quest to fetch a Golden Apple from the Garden of the Hesperides."

"A quest!" She beamed, tapping him on the arm. "Congratulations, you're going to go out there and prove yourself. No one's gotten a quest since before I came here."

"A quest Hercules already did?" he asked. "I'm honored, don't get me wrong, but... why? What does my father want from this?"

She tried to think of what lord Hermes had in mind. "Maybe to show you off as his favorite son, to show you that you are as mighty as a Greek hero should be. I think it is meant to be a compliment."

He pressed his tongue to the inside of his cheek, thinking it over. "So, I should accept?"

"I think so," she said. "Disregarding everything else, when will you ever get the chance to do that again?"

"That's true. Will you come with me?"

She blinked at him, leaning onto her spear and grinning. "You want me to come along?"

He started to smile. "There's no one else I'd want to go with me. We'd both be safe with each other. We'd get a chance to see the world. The Garden of Hesperides is in California, Chiron told me. Will you accept?"

Nina pretended she was thinking it over. "Hmm, I'll have to check my calendar." He poked her shoulder playfully until at last she said, "Oh, fine, I guess I'll go with you."

"Good," said Luke. "Pack a bag."