CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE:
MY BLOOD

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IF AREUM MIN HAD ever gotten the chance to meet her eldest niece, Annais knew without a shadow of a doubt that her mother would've loved her -- no, adored was the better word. Penelope was easy to love. Perhaps, that was the most ironic thing about her tragic demise. With eyes that glittered like freshly cut gemstones, a rosebud mouth always perched in a smile, and a heart bigger than the five Min sisters combined, Penelope Min was admirable. And in a cruel twist of fate, it made the most sense to Annais that Penelope was the one who died first.

The fates always took the good hearts before their time had come.

But those like Annais, and Ezra, and even Hea -- the ones left with the memories, who probably should've found themselves in an early grave a long time ago, were destined to stay behind and wither.

Annais didn't necessarily want to die, but she didn't want to live either, not in the way she was supposed to.

Sometimes, she wondered if the same thoughts had crossed Penelope's mind in her final moments. The eldest sister with the weight of the world on her shoulders, the stricken lover of Apollo, the burdened daughter of Kronos himself. Was her life worth living in constant peril?

Annais would never get to know; she wasn't sure if she wanted to, either.

There were times she couldn't control the way her mind spiralled.

And on the anniversary that marked one year, three-hundred and sixty-five momentous days of grief, since Penelope Min had taken her last breath in Ezra's arms, her mind wanted to run wild.

Her friends gave her a wide berth that morning as they stood and gaped at the brilliant blue sky. It was so sunny, so... serene for a day that should've been stormy and bleak. Ezra's face was a cloud of thunder as she sulked a few feet away from the group; close enough to hear the plan but far enough to signify her bitter mood. Annais wasn't sure what her own face looked like, just that everyone seemed to walk on eggshells, not quite certain of why they were being so cautious; rather, that it seemed necessary.

Rome was unlike anything Annais had ever seen, and she had been to Mount Olympus. She wished she had the heart to enjoy it, to commit every tiny detail to memory.

Her mind betrayed her instead.

Would Penelope have loved Rome? She'd always wanted to travel--

"We're setting down in that park," Leo declared, one arm curled in a comforting gesture around Mel's waist. With the other hand, he pointed down to a green patch of grass dotted by towering trees. "Let's hope the Mist makes us look like a large pigeon or something."

Subconsciously, he turned to Annais and Ezra for some kind of snide remark.

Nothing came.

He tried not to look disheartened, but Annais saw his face falter and sighed.

Fortunately, the park was pretty much deserted, which was surprising for such a nice day. To their left, a green lawn sloped into a forest of some kind. To the right loomed a hill, with a long brick wall lining the top that reminded Annais of something out of a mediaeval storybook. And, probably the most notable thing of all in their surroundings; to the North, the top of the infamous Colosseum rose above the city streets, an ancient oddity contrasting the distinct, modern rooftops.

"I think I know where we are," Jason commented, his brows furrowed in thought. He pointed off in the distance. Despite standing beside him, Annais struggled to follow his hand. "That's the Tomb of the Scipios."

Percy echoed the name in confusion. "Reyna's pegasus?"

"No," Annabeth shook her head. "They were a noble Roman family, and-- wow, this place is amazing."

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hide the impressed look, one of pure amazement, from her face. Jason watched her for a moment before nodding. "I've studied maps of Rome before. I've always wanted to come here, but. . ."

He, too, spoke in a tone of pure awe. Annais wished she could feel the same way, to feel like she belonged in the group, now more than ever before. But she felt. . . empty. Numb. She hadn't cried or screamed, or done anything, really, that would've counted as grief in her mind. She just. . . existed, on this normal, unassuming day.

"So. . . plans?" Hazel prompted. "Nico has until sunset at best. And this entire city is supposedly getting destroyed today."

Percy shook his head. "You're right," he murmured, trying his best to sound rooted in the present rather than dazed by the past. "Annabeth, did you zero in on that spot from your bronze map?"

Annabeth hesitated before answering. "Yes. It's on the Tiber River. I think I can find it, but I should--"

"Take me along?" Percy interjected before she could finish. "Yeah, you're right."

Annabeth's eyes narrowed into a pointed, stubborn glare. "That is not--"

"Safe?" he offered, a small grin tugging at his lips when her nostrils flared furiously. "One demigod walking through Rome alone. I'll go with you as far as the Tiber. We can use that letter of introduction, hopefully to meet the River God Tiberinus. Maybe, he can give you some help or advice. Then you can go on alone from there."

"I'm coming too," Ezra insisted when Annabeth stayed silent, contemplating Percy's suggestion. Annabeth and Percy exchanged a look then; somehow, Ezra seemed to sense the hesitation of the gesture. She scowled, daring them to contradict her with Penelope's pin clutched in her hand, blade out for good measure.

"Fine," Annabeth muttered at last. Another look between her and Percy. Annais' brows furrowed. "Hazel, now that we're in Rome, do you think you can pinpoint Nico's location?"

"Um. . . hopefully." Well, that didn't sound reassuring. "If I get close enough. I'll have to walk around the city, though. Annais, Frank, would you come with me?"

On any other day, Annais would've felt. . . honoured, that Hazel wanted her there. Sure, Nico was also her brother, and they both were adamant on saving his life from the very beginning, but there was something so. . . sisterly about Hazel wanting Annais at her side.

But that was on a normal day. On a normal day, Annais would've teared up, maybe even hugged her -- away from the prying eyes of their friends, of course. Instead, she nodded, allowing Frank to take up most of the moment with a beaming grin.

"Absolutely," he said.

Hazel's face flushed pink. "And, uh. . . Leo! It might be a good idea if you came along, too. The fish-centaurs said we'd need your help with something mechanical."

"Yeah," Leo shrugged, unbothered. "No problem."

Frank's face soured, his smile long gone. Hazel grimaced at the sudden tension, letting out a breath of relief when Piper redirected the conversation by drawing her knife.

"Hea and Mel can help Jason and I watch the ship for now," she decided, catching Mel's tired eyes and smiling. Mel nodded back at her, squeezing Leo's hand against her hip. "I'll see what Katoptris can show me. But, Hazel, if you guys get a fix on Nico's location, don't go in there by yourselves. Come back and get us. It'll take all of us to fight the giants."

And even then, Annais had her doubts.

"Good idea," Percy agreed with Piper. "How about we plan to meet back here at. . . what time?"

"Three this afternoon?" Jason suggested when no one else volunteered an answer. "That's probably the latest we could rendezvous and still hope to fight the giants and save Nico. If something happens to change the plan, try to send an Iris-message."

Everyone nodded their agreement, but Annais couldn't help looking at Annabeth. Would she be alive to meet them at three? Or was this the last time Annais may ever see the girl she'd come to view as a dear friend?

She didn't have the chance to ponder on it, on the resolute absence of the God forsaken shadows Annais would normally see if death was close, for Gleeson was already breaking the tension.

"That'll give me time to eat the coconuts -- uh, I mean. . . did the coconuts out of our hull." He shot Ezra, Percy and Annabeth a withering look. "Percy, Annabeth, Ezra Min--" The way he said Ezra's full name with emphasis was almost laughable. Ezra frowned in his direction, surprisingly caught off-guard by his stern, paternal tone. "I don't like you three going off on your own. Just remember; behave. If I hear about any funny business, I will ground you until the Styx freezes over."

Percy grinned, reaching for Ezra's hand while his other arm circled Annabeth's shoulders. "We'll be back soon," he promised. It sounded so simple, far too good to be true. He turned to everyone else, catching Annais' eyes and nodding. She returned the gesture, a silent promise; I'll keep Ezra safe, no matter what. He knew, Annabeth knew, that today more than ever, Ezra was of priority. "Good luck, everyone."

Annais watched them until they were too far away to be seen anymore. Then, she turned to Jason, wrapping her arms around him before she could change her mind.

"You'll stay safe?" he murmured into her hair.

Unlike Percy, Annais wasn't prepared to dish out potentially false promises. "I will if you do," she said, as if safety in a life or death situation could be negotiated.

Jason smiled. He kissed her before she could stop him. Annais' face burned from half a dozen pairs of eyes watching them. For a second, she thought she heard Gleeson gasp in horror.

"Come back to me," Jason murmured, then hesitated.

Annais frowned at him. "I'll try."

He watched her until she was a mere dot in the distance; then, forced his mind to move on from the girl he loved.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

ANNAIS HAD FORGOTTEN HOW much she detested going on quests with Leo. It was like baby-sitting a toddler who had a knack for chasing down certain death; and, to top it off, said toddler knew what he was doing and continued just because it annoyed Annais. They were only twenty minutes in, and yet she wanted nothing more than to head back to the ship.

"Valdez!" she exclaimed, beginning to sound like a broken record as she watched Leo unwittingly step out into oncoming traffic. She managed to latch onto his sleeve at the last second, yanking him back between her and Frank, who looked ready to push Leo in front of the cars himself. "For the love of Hades, we're never going to find Nico at this rate."

"That's not just my fault," Leo protested, then quickly second-guessed himself when Hazel's face dropped and Frank's eyes narrowed into a glare. "I, uh -- That's now what I -- Sorry, Hazel. . ."

Hazel didn't respond, anxiously beginning to fumble with the ends of her hair when they rounded the corner onto yet another familiar street. Annais recognised the pizza place located on the other side of the road; they'd already passed it three times. Hazel followed her eyes and groaned in dismay. "It's just. . . there's so many underground here, so many layers, it's overwhelming! Like standing in the middle of an orchestra and trying to concentrate on a single instrument. I'm. . . I'm going deaf!"

"It's alright, Hazel," Annais assured the girl, even though it definitely wasn't alright and Nico's prospects were looking more and more bleak by the hour. "We'll find him another way."

Though Annais had no other suggestions to give, and neither did the others. So they continued to helplessly walk around in circles, blending in with the tourists that seemed to clog the streets the closer the group got to the heart of Rome. It was a beautiful city, but Annais couldn't find it in her to enjoy it.

"I never thought I'd get to see Rome," Hazel commented at one point, when they were leaving behind The Forum. "When I was alive -- I mean, the first time -- Mussolini was in charge. We were at war."

"Mussolini?" Leo echoed the name with a frown. "Wasn't he, like, BFFs with Hitler?"

Hazel gaped at him, though an edge of curiosity glinted in her eyes, caught between distrust and suspicion whenever it came to understanding Leo's brain. "Uh. . . BFFs?"

"Never mind."

Hazel turned to Annais next. Annais let out a sigh. "Another time."

The daughter of Pluto looked ready to argue; instead, she let her eyes dart around the vibrant streets and was quickly distracted again. "I'd love to see the Trevi Fountain," she said, and Leo's nose scrunched up.

"There's a fountain on every block. . ."

"Or the Spanish steps."

"Why would you come to Italy to see Spanish steps? That's like going to China for Mexican food, isn't it?"

"You're hopeless," Hazel glowered, looking utterly fed up with him.

"So I've been told."

"It's true," Annais nodded. "I tell him that all the time."

Shaking her head, Hazel grabbed Frank's hand and dragged him ahead of Annais and Leo, Frank looking down at her with a dreamy sigh. "Come on. I think we should go this way."

"Because listening to you worked out so great the last time. . ." Leo grumbled, to which Annais almost immediately whacked him over the head. Leo let out a cry that earned him a dubious stare from Hazel and Frank. "Hey! What was that for?"

"You know what."

Before Leo could retort, they arrived at a church of some kind. Its large, domed roof loomed over distinct, Roman columns, an inscription written across the top of the door in neat cursive.

M. AGRIPPA.

"Latin for 'get a grip?'" Leo smirked, proud of himself for thinking of the remark.

Annais rolled her eyes.

"This is our best bet," Hazel declared then, running her hand along the grooves of the doorframe like she expected to find a secret hatch hidden there. Even when she pulled back in defeat, she sounded certain. "There should be a secret passage somewhere inside."

Behind them, a large group of tourists gathered to the side of the steps. Some had information brochures on the history of the church. Others held cameras and were photographing the scenery, and themselves standing in front of different monuments. Their presence was a nuisance -- with so many of them, it would be hard to truly look around without being spotted -- but Annais would find a way, even if she had to knock a few of them out.

No one was going to stand in the way of her finding Nico. Her brother wasn't about to die on the day she lost her sister. Life couldn't be that cruel.

"This is the Pantheon," Leo realised after listening to the Spanish tour guide for a second. "It was originally constructed by Marcus Agrippa as a temple to the Gods. After it burned down, Emperor Hadrian rebuilt it, and it's been standing for two thousand years. It's one of the best-preserved Roman buildings in the world."

"How did you know that?" Hazel frowned, trying not to seem impressed by the knowledge.

Leo grinned. "I'm naturally brilliant."

"Bullshit," Annais scoffed, Leo shooting her and Frank an offended look when the son of Mars added, "He just eavesdropped to the tour guide."

It was Hazel's turn to smirk then, making a show of laughing at Leo's pouting face. "That does make more sense."

"You're all so cruel to me."

"Yeah, yeah, get a move on, won't you?" Annais grumbled, pulling at her sweat-slick shirt that was beginning to stick to her chest. She'd picked a horrible day to wear a black tank top. "It's as hot as balls out here."

Annais knew she made a mistake when Leo's pout quickly changed into a shit-eating grin. "Whose balls? Jason's?"

"Leo!" Hazel let out a gasp. She looked horrified, her face turning a sickly shade of green. It was a wonder she hadn't fainted on the spot from the shock of it.

Leo paid her no mind. He was too busy debating how far he could push Annais. "I see you've been spending too much time with your sister."

"I'm going to kill you."

"Okay!" And there was the limit. Leo backed up nervously against the door. "We're going inside now! I hope this place has air conditioning. . ."

Of course, just when Annais needed it, there was no air-conditioning in sight. Not even a fan, or an open window to let in a breeze. And to top it off, the room was already stifling with the giant group of tourists and their body heat warming up the place. Annais was beginning to contemplate just walking around in her sports bra, modesty be damned, when Hazel stopped in the middle of the room and forced the others to pause, too.

The Pantheon was. . . beautiful; in a historical kind of way, of course, but also in a natural way. Thousands of years of life and death were ingrained into the marble floors, the shrines and statues that were woven into the walls. Above their heads, the kaleidoscope domed ceiling let through beams of sunlight in an abundance of colours; reds, blues, pinks and greens -- a sea of colour bathing the statues' faces in the light of Zeus himself.

"This is. . .it's just so. . ."

"Amazing," Hazel finished what Annais couldn't quite put into words. "You know, in the old days, the children of Vulcan would come here in secret to consecrate demigod weapons. This is where Imperial gold was enchanted."

It truly fascinated Annais how time worked. People changed, the world continued to spin, Gods ruled and rioted, and yet the Earth -- as troublesome as She was -- had seen everything in its entirety, a constant fly on the wall, a listening ear for what people took to their shallow graves.

Suddenly, Annais felt awfully exposed.

"There should be an entrance, a tunnel that will lead us toward Nico," Hazel said. "I can sense it close by. I'm just not sure where."

Frank sighed. It was the first sound Annais had heard from him for a while. She'd almost forgotten he was there, towering over Hazel's small frame as he gripped her hand. "If this building is two thousand years old, it makes sense there could be some kind of secret passage left over from the Roman days."

What Frank said was logical. Annais appreciated that. At least someone could see reason; it was easy to lose hope whenever Leo came on a quest. She could never quite tell what he was thinking, just that it was going to cause some trouble. For a moment, he spun around in a dizzying circle, eyeing each of the statues faces until he reached the Virgin Mary on top of the altar.

"Over there," Leo said, and Annais barely had time to blink before he marched across the room and left them behind. He called over his shoulder at them, earning a few glares from the tourist group who were trying to get a photo at the altar, "The passage is around here. This guy's final resting place is in the way. . . Raphael somebody."

"A famous painter, I think," Hazel commented as the others joined him.

Fortunately, most of the tourists had moved on by then, no longer seeming to care about the loud teenagers lingering about. But three of them in particular stood out to Annais. They were. . . different. The others were gawking at the dome, but these three men just. . . didn't care. They wore their tourist merch and each held a brochure about the Pantheon; however, they looked bored. Like they were merely waiting for something. . .

Or someone.

"Annais?" Leo nudged her shoulder with his.

Annais forced herself to look away from the men. Leo was frowning at her; he, too, looked troubled. "You see them too?"

Annais nodded, keeping her voice down so that Frank and Hazel wouldn't hear them from where they were observing that Raphael dude's resting place. It wasn't that she didn't trust them; rather, she wasn't sure what to share. She was merely running on suspicion.

But wasn't that her whole purpose on this quest? To trust her gut instincts to keep the seven safe?

"Just. . . do what you have to do," she said to Leo, who was looking to her for the final say. "I'll keep an eye on them."

That was enough for Leo. Annais was momentarily stunned by the sheer amount of faith he had in her, so much so that he didn't even look over at the men again. Before they knew it, he'd found a series of lines etched into the marble tomb and was cheering quietly to himself.

"Well, it's not very elegant," he grinned at them. "But it is effective."

"What is?" Frank asked. He looked awfully out of place in the Pantheon, like a towering giant, heavy-handed in a place that was made delicate by time. He wasn't sure where to stand, or how to act, or even how to hold Hazel's hand without looking uncomfortable on the odd occasion. "Leo?"

"The combination for a lock," he replied, distractedly running his fingers over the column again. A moment later, "The lock itself has been ripped out, probably vandalised sometime in the last few centuries. But I should be able to control the mechanism inside, if I can. . ."

"Should?" Annais prompted, but Leo's silence lingered this time.

He didn't seem to be doing anything, merely kneeling with his hand pressed to the marble floor, brows furrowed as he drifted into thought. Just when Annais was beginning to lose her patience, tapping her foot on the floor, arms folded over her chest, all the while glancing back and forth between Leo and the three men lingering a safe distance away from them, the tiles beneath Leo's hands began to part. Annais lurched forward, tugging on the back of Leo's shirt just in time to yank him back from the square of darkness that had revealed itself.

"Is that it?" Annais said when nothing else happened.

It was. . . anticlimactic to say the least.

Leo shrugged. "Romans must've been small," he answered, then glanced at Frank not-so-subtly. "You'll need to change into something thinner to get through here."

"Leo!" Annais gasped and smacked the back of his head.

"Ow! Annais!" he whined, rubbing the spot like she'd hit him with a hammer. "You're going to give me brain damage at this rate."

"Good," Hazel scowled before Annais could answer. Leo rounded on her with wide eyes. "That wasn't nice!"

"What? I was just saying--"

"Don't worry about it," Frank muttered. Annais couldn't tell if he was upset by the comment or not, though she was, even if Leo had meant nothing by it. "We should go get the others before we explore. That's what Piper said."

"They're halfway across the city," Leo pointed out. As irked as she was, Annais couldn't help but agree. They wouldn't have enough time to find the others and come back. Annais barely knew how they ended up at the Pantheon. It was going to be hard enough to get back later let alone return without anyone noticing. "Besides, uh, I'm not sure I can close this hatch again. The gears are pretty old. . ."

And there was that.

"Great," Frank sighed, looking exhausted as he pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. "How do we know it's safe down there?"

Hazel moved to kneel beside Leo, shooting him a grudging glare before hovering her hand over the hatch. "There's nothing alive," she said after a moment of silence. "Well, at least not for several hundred feet. The tunnel slants down, then levels out and goes South, more or less. I don't sense any traps. . ."

"How can you tell all that?" Leo asked with a fascinated glimmer in his eye.

Hazel shrugged, her face flushing pink when she caught Annais' proud grin. "Same way you can pick locks on marble columns, I guess. I'm glad you're not into robbing banks."

"Oh! Bank vaults. . . never thought about that. . ."

"Forget I said anything," Hazel grimaced, but Leo was already lost in the possibility of his theoretical vigilante world. "Look, it's not three o'clock yet. We can at least do a little exploring, try to pinpoint Nico's location before we contact the others. You three stay here until I call for you. I want to check things out, make sure the tunnel is structurally sound. I'll be able to tell more once I'm underground."

Annais frowned, opening her mouth to protest when Frank exclaimed, "We can't let you go by yourself! You could get hurt."

"Frank, I can take care of myself," Hazel shot him a pointed glare. "Underground is my specialty. It's safest for all of us if I go first."

"Unless Frank wants to turn into a mole," Leo suggested then, snickering at the image he'd conjured in his head. "Or a prairie dog. Those things are awesome."

"Shut up," Frank mumbled, his hands balling into fists like he was contemplating pulling an Annais and socking him in the face.

"Or a badger."

"Valdez, I swear--"

"Both of you, be quiet!" Hazel snapped. "I'll be back soon. Give me ten minutes. If you don't hear from me by then. . ." She trailed off at the uncomfortable, inconceivable thought. Annais wasn't going to let anything happen to her. She knew what she'd have to do. "Never mind. I'll be fine. Just try not to kill each other while I'm down there."

With that, she disappeared into the darkness, forcing Leo and Frank to shuffle closer to each other to block her from view. With the two of them distracted by attempting to avoid each other's eyes, Annais took the opportunity to stare into the hatch. She'd never been a fan of the dark -- not exactly scared but also not enthused at the thought of being trapped in the shadows she tried so hard to escape. It was her thing. . . shadow travelling, belonging in the Underworld, everything that was dark and dreary. But Annais hated it.

She dropped into the hole without a sound. Leo and Frank didn't even notice her missing, not until it was too late. Annais had already reached Hazel by the time they realised. And by then, it would do them no good in trying to stop her.

"Annais?" Hazel frowned as she managed to make out her sister's shadow-shrouded face. "What are you doing down here?"

Annais shrugged. "I know you can look after yourself, but I wanted to be with you. Just in case."

Hazel sighed. "And I love you for that. But the others need you. . ."

It was the first time Hazel had said such a thing. I love you. When was the last time Annais had told her siblings she loved them?

(Had she ever told Penelope she loved her?)

She should've said it more; to her sisters -- including Hazel, and to J--

Annais felt like she'd been sucker-punched.

She forced herself to speak, breaking away from the thought that lingered at the forefront of her mind. One particular emotion yearned to be let in, but Annais held firm. "You need me more."

Hazel smiled. Annais could barely see her face, but she knew.

Together, the girls pushed through the shadows, Nico calling them closer, his life hanging on a precarious ledge that Annais was determined to save him from.

She'd do it.

No matter what it cost her.

Or anyone else, for that matter.