PERCY WISHED THE dreams would stop.

          The past two nights had been awful. The dreams weren't anything bad, per se, but imagine, if you will, constant TV static. The whiny kind, with tiny flashes of what you actually wanted to look at but what you got was screeching and the occasional word. That's what he was dealing with, and that was the cause of the dark circles under his eyes.

          That, and the first two searches came up with nothing.

          He'd given the gods three days, but at this rate, there was no way he could drag himself up the steps to Olympus. He was both holding out hope and holding himself up. Every blink felt like an hour, and maybe it was. He was so tired and stressed out he couldn't really tell. He didn't even remember where he was or what he was doing. Just that he so badly wanted sleep and it was so tantalizingly out of his reach, because as soon as he did the dreams would be there.

          He felt horrible for worrying over sleep when Annabeth was gods knew where. He wondered if she'd been able to sleep either.

          A hand landed on his shoulder. A voice. "You can rest for a minute, you know."

          Percy slowly lifted his aching eyes. It was the guy in the suit. The dad. "I want to." His voice came out hoarser than he thought it would.

          Coulson sat down next to him. Sitting? He was sitting. They were on the Bus, heading to the next location. "We have melatonin gummies, if you want. Or something stronger, if you need it."

          Percy shut his eyes against the whine of the engine. He knew it wasn't possible, but the sound was hurting his eyeballs. "Will I dream?"

          Coulson paused. "I don't think so. I've been shot with it a few times and I don't remember dreaming."

          Percy opened one eye. The guy looked genuine. "Did you say shot?"

          Coulson nodded.

          "As in, the shit that knocked Annabeth out cold for two hours a few days ago?"

            "That's the stuff."

          Percy closed his eyes again. Gods, he wished he could just take a break, even for a minute, without having to get drugs from a secret agent. He hated himself for even thinking about a break while Annabeth was probably being tortured somewhere. And even though they had two places knocked off the list, he still didn't feel like they were any closer to finding her.

          Next to him, Coulson took a sharp breath in. "Look, the next stop is three hours away. You'd be up by then. I'm just...worried about you, is all."

          Percy didn't say anything. He was worried too. But not about himself.

          "You need sleep, even if it's for a few hours. And if she's—" He stopped himself. "Well hopefully she'll be—"

          "Alive?" Percy growled.

"Well, of course, but that's not—"

"She's not fucking dead, and you all can stop acting like it," he spat.

"She's alive," Coulson said after a beat of silence. "And we are going to find her and Mack if it takes every resource we have. I was just hoping that she would be where we went next."

Percy put his face in his hands. This was so much. At least the first time she went missing he knew he was headed in the right direction. Now, he was lost with a bunch of people he didn't really know, and she was the only thing that kept him sane.

          "She's alive," he repeated, trying to convince himself of it. "When we die it'll be together. I'm not gonna let her die alone.  And if I already have I'll never forgive myself for it."

          They sat there for a few minutes, listening to the hum of the engine and the nothing.

          Percy opened his mouth. "How long did you say until the next stop?"

          Coulson looked at his watch. "Two hours and fifty minutes."

          Percy let out a breath. "Alright. Hit me, Doc."

♆

Annabeth wasn't sure how long it had been. She would have believed anything between hours and months. She was starving, and thirsty, and chained crucifix-style to a damp rock. Far underground, in the dark, and the guy next to her glowed a little bit. It was not the worst situation she'd been stuck in, but she could think of ways to make it better.

First on her list was to kick that good-for-nothing goddess right in the teeth. But she figured if they were gonna get out of here, they would have to do it quietly. Which, frankly, was a shame.

"She coming back?" Mack whispered through a swollen lip.

"Eventually," Annabeth guessed. "She's not exactly patient."

"What's a guy gotta do to get some food around here?" he asked, the hunger apparent in his voice. Annabeth could relate.

Annabeth would have shrugged if she could move her shoulders. "Dunno. She wants secrets, right? Tell her about the last time you peed your pants."

Mack laughed softly, but it turned into a cough. "If I last long enough I'll have to try it."

"Goddamn it, Mack, you're so morbid. What happened to all that positivity the other day?"

He snorted. "I can brave pretty much anything so long as I have my shotgun axe. Can't beat up starvation, though."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "We're not dying here. It's not happening." Maybe if she said it enough times she'd think of a way out.

"Yeah, I know. We'll get out. I trust you." Liar. She didn't really blame him. "And I hope you trust me too. You see an opening, though, you take it." He winced. He was still pretty badly injured from a few days ago. Annabeth had been silently praying away an infection, but she didn't know how much longer he could go. "I'm not gonna be the reason you never become one of those old ladies that knit on the porch."

"Sure would be nice," Annabeth agreed. "I'm a demigod. We don't get to old age. It's a fact." She squirmed. Gods, this rock was uncomfortable. "I'm not pouting about it. But I only get to die once and when I do it's going to fucking count for something. I am not dying here and neither are you." She looked over her shoulder at him, at the orange glow coming from his heart. "No way am I ditching you."

She barely got the last word out before the walls began their rumbling.

"Great," Mack said, sounding almost as defeated as Annabeth felt. "Here she comes."

The shaking increased until Annabeth felt like she was sitting on the world's worst massage chair, and then it stopped.

A spindly creature came into view. She had long, dark hair that fell like a curtain. Her limbs were a little too long, eyes a little too dark, her fingernails like claws. A lit torch was clutched between them. Her teeth seemed normal at first, albeit in need of a cleaning, but the more upset she got the sharper they looked.

She placed her torch between two rocks, barely illuminating the chamber. The fire cast long, flickering shadows that moved like mice. Her teary eyes bore into Annabeth, and try as she might, she couldn't tamp down the fear this creature incited in her.

"Good morning," Apate chirped. "Sleep well, lovelies?"

"Like a rock," Mack said.

The goddess's face twisted. Her mouth opened too wide, her nose seemed to sharpen more than it already was, and her black eyes glowered at him. "Lies," she spat. "Do not lie to me."

"This is one of the worst places I've ever spent a night," he corrected himself. "Happy?"

She sneered, as if sensing his sarcasm. Inching her way closer, she brought a clawed hand to his face, careful not to scratch it. "I will get your secrets."

"I don't have any more secrets," Mack said tiredly. "You've bled me dry."

          The goddess' fingers tightened on his face, and her sneer widened. She inched closer, her face nearly brushing his. "You forget," she whispered. "I am the goddess of deceit. I can smell it on you." Her voice was scratchy and low. "You are lying."

Mack recoiled, but there wasn't really anywhere for him to go. The wall of rock behind them was to blame. Annabeth was sure she had bruises down her spine from it.

"Apate," she interrupted, and the creature's head swiveled towards her. "I've got a secret for you. Want to hear it?"

The goddess released a low growl and stepped closer. Annabeth tried to take deep breaths, but her heart rate quickened all the same. Clawed hands clenched her cheeks. Greasy hair hung in her face, and her hot breath smelled like roadkill. Annabeth almost gagged.

"Tell me! Give it to me!" Apate's eyes were wide as saucers, swimming in desperation. Her spidery eyelashes grazed Annabeth's cheeks. "What is the truth?"

Annabeth screwed up her face, trying to look pitiful. In reality, it was all she could do to keep her breathing even. Her mind raced. She hadn't actually thought of what she was going to say. "I'm adopted," she blurted out. Technically it was true. Her stepmother counted, right?

          Apate snarled. She raised a clawed hand and slapped Annabeth across the face.

          It stung like crazy. Annabeth's eyes watered, and she tasted blood.

          "Hey!" Mack shouted. His deep voice startled both of them. "I don't like peanut butter," he confessed. "I just tolerate it because people think I'm crazy."

          "Meaningless!" the goddess shouted. "Give me the one that matters!"

          "I broke and replaced the coffee maker," he added. "Nobody ever noticed."

          Apate bared her teeth in frustration. "Fine," she said, too calmly. "I'll find it myself." She plucked her torch from its place in the rocks, glowering at him. "Let's see if the fire within burns as bright as it does out, shall we?"

"Don't!" Annabeth screamed, but it was too late. She watched helplessly as Apate's torch connected with Mack's forearm. She winced, waiting for the scream of pain, but nothing came. Mack looked as shocked as she felt. His skin wasn't bubbling or sizzling or anything of the sort, as if the fire simply wasn't there.

The goddess' expression knotted in anger. "A son of the forge," she spat. "A fire-user, no doubt."

"If that's what you wanted to know, can we leave now?" Mack asked, still looking at his arm.

"No." Apate lowered her torch. "That is not the secret."

"Oh, come on!" Annabeth yelled. "That's not a big enough secret for you?" She was beginning to think Apate was crazy. Most deities were. But how to escape the goddess of lies from her underground lair with an injured, off-brand Dwayne Johnson in tow was a question she had yet to find the answer to. The chains would tighten each time she got angry with them, and that seemed like her only emotion.

The goddess turned on Annabeth, her eyes fiery. "I am the Deceiver," she growled. "I cannot be fooled. I can smell secrets—every single one of yours, every single one of everyone's. But his?" She turned her head towards Mack, her limp hair sliding across her shoulder. "It drowns out them all."

"I don't know what you're talking about, lady!" Mack shouted at her. "Whatever it is, I don't know!"

The goddess didn't react. "I have smelled it every day for decades. A secret. Your secret. I have been looking for it since the day of your birth. And here you are in my grasp, and you don't know." She threw her torch to the floor, where it skidded and sputtered, but kept burning. "You may not know. But you have it." Her voice dropped to a whisper as she cradled his face in her hands. "And I will cut it out of you if I have to."

𝚫

hey hey hey! happy 60k my friends. that's a crazy number!! that's like an entire pro football stadium full of people! WTF guys! that's so crazy wtf.
my life's a little crazy trying to figure out how i can get home for christmas, but i'm still hoping to put out another chapter before the end of the year. i think i can do it!

if you're enjoying this story and you're a fan of camp half-blood, please be sure to check out my latest project, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, and maybe give me a follow! 😉

in other news, i am now a mother to one beautiful shorthair kitty named blue. no she's not actually blue she's gray but sometimes when the light hits her just right...yes she is blue. i love her very much and she may have cured my depression lmfao. anyways how have you guys been?? tell me about your plans for the holidays maybe? or a weird tradition you have? my family always eats chinese takeout on christmas eve, so that's something. i missed ya, i love ya, enjoy, see you next chapter and all that.

lotsa love! xoxo!
cajoling

12/6/20