Everyone turned their weapons on the lioness.
"Wait, " Annabeth said, tears running down her cheeks. "Please don't hurt her."
She knelt beside the lioness and gently stroked her neck. The lion nuzzled her face.
"I forgive you, Aunt Hecate."
Annabeth's frame grew smaller and more delicate. Her skin became paler and sprinkled with freckles. Her hair darkened a few shades.
"Calypso, " Leo said. "How in the... Why were you Princess Annabeth a few moments ago?"
The lioness ran off back into the hills. Calypso stood up, clutching her bleeding arm.
"Tonight's the last of the waning moon, " she replied. "If the curse isn't broken by sunrise, it'll never be broken. My mother sent me in the guise of the Princess as a distraction."
She picked up the jar of honey and poured a little into the brazier.
"O Queen of Goddesses, I ask your pardon for the false vows I have made over this sacred fire. Prince Percy of Crete is not the one I love and wish to pledge myself to."
She raised her eyes slightly in Leo's direction. Percy put his hand on Calypso's shoulder.
"Where is Annabeth?" he said.
"She should be in our cave."
"Is your mother guarding her?"
"Tonight, she goes to gather more moonlace. She'll be out until dawn."
"That'll give us plenty of time to rescue her."
"I'll take you to her, but first, I have one question."
"What is it?"
"What do you plan on doing with my mother?"
"I'm sorry, Calypso, but she must answer for her crimes. I imagine King Frederick would want us to bring her back to Athens for execution."
"She'll fight tooth and nail not to go back to Athens; you'll never take her alive. Promise me that if she must die, you'll let her die fighting."
"What do you mean?"
"Put her to death here, quickly and painlessly,  and give her a proper burial instead of dragging her back to Athens to be tossed out to die and have her bones picked clean by buzzards."
Tears ran down Calypso's cheeks. Hazel offered her a cloth so she could dry her face.
"I will, " Percy said.
"Allow me," Piper cut in, taking Calypso's arm. She cleaned the cut with wine, olive oil, and honey and wrapped it with linen bandages. Piper's relationship with her mother was complicated, but if she were in the same position as Calypso, she would not be able to bear it.
"I'll show you to the cave, " Calypso said after Piper finished bandaging her wound.
Frank stepped forward, his bow and quiver of arrows slung over his shoulder.
"I've sworn to protect the Athenian royal family, " he said. "Allow me to come with you."
"I'm her lady-in-waiting, " Piper added. "I'll go as well."
"She might need some medical attention," Prince Will said.  "So, count me in."
"Jason and I will go hunt that witch down, " Percy sheathed his sword.  "Reyna, Thalia, Nico, are you coming?"
Thalia grabbed her bow and arrow and followed after Percy. Reyna did likewise with her spear. Nico followed behind them, a sword at his side.
Jason was the last to leave the camp.  He turned to look behind him before he disappeared into the hills. His eyes met Piper's.
Please be careful, she thought.

Calypso led them up to the cave. To avoid being seen, they wrapped themselves in black chlamyses so they could blend into the darkness.

"Lady Piper and I'll go inside, " Calypso, "You two boys stand guard outside."
She took Piper's hand, and they crept into the cave. Inside was rather spacious. A hearth stood near the mouth of a cave. It's fire burnt low. Bunches of dried herbs hung from the ceiling. Scrolls peaked out of cubby holes dug into the rock walls. Piles of wicker baskets and terra cotta pots stood in the corners. Woven mats, goat skins, and sheep fleeces covered the floors to make sitting and sleeping more comfortable. The burning embers of the fire and a single oil lamp hanging in a far corner were the only sources of light.
They found Annabeth passed out underneath the lamp. She showed signs of rough handling. Bruises dotted her arms and legs, and bloody scraped crossed her knees and elbows. The cruel harpy, Circe, must have roughly tossed her into the corner after a beating.
Calypso knelt by Annabeth's side.
"Princess, " she said, gently shaking her shoulder. "Please awaken."
Annabeth's eyes flickered open. She recoiled from Calypso's touch and opened her mouth to scream.
"Please, Princess. Don't be afraid. You're among friends. Lady Piper is with me. Frank and Prince Will are standing guard outside the cave. We've come to rescue you."
Piper extended a hand to help her friend up. As Annabeth rose to her feet, she did her best to cover herself with a large piece of a rough linen.

Her only other garment was an apodesmos.

She hugged Piper and Calypso and kissed their foreheads.
"Where are the others?" She said.
"Percy, Jason,  Nico, Thalia, and Reyna went to track down Circe and her lioness, " Piper replied. "Hazel and the slaves are waiting for us back at the camp."
Calypso presented Annabeth with a black chlamys and a leather fillet.
"This will help you blend into the dark, and this will keep your hair out of your face, " she said. "You're one of only two ladies on this island with flaxen hair, and it's bound to be noticeable... if you'll allow me."
The dying embers and single oil lamp gave off enough light to allow Calypso to see as she bound up Annabeth's hair with the leather fillet.

"We have to leave now, " Piper cut in. She threw the black chlamys around Annabeth's shoulders. "Quickly."

"Rest here for now," Will said when they returned to the camp. "Percy and the others will be back shortly."
Piper helped Annabeth sit down by the fire. She wrapped the chlamys more tightly around Annabeth's shoulders. Will offered Annabeth a cup of wine.
"I put ground meadowsweet in it. That should help with any pain you're feeling."
Aphrodisia brought over a jug of water and a towel so Annabeth could wash. She also brought a medicinal ointment to rub on her cuts and bruises.
"All will be well, My Lady, " she said to Annabeth. "Don't you worry. Once they've dealt with the witch and her lioness, you and Prince Percy can make your final offerings and break the spell."
Piper helped Annabeth wash her bruised limbs and put ointments on her scraped knees and elbows.
Prince Will began to play the aulos in an attempt to soothe her.

Athenaíí joined in with her lyre. Annabeth smiled at the two slaves.
"You girls have been too good to me, " she said. "When we get back to Thessaloniki, I'll speak to King Zeus about freeing you."
Aphrodisia gasped with delight.
"You're too kind, My Lady, " Athenaíí said.
Annabeth lay down on a woven mat and rested against a pile of cushions.
"Once you get your freedom, what would you like to do next?"
"Maybe I'll marry Mantu, " Aphrodisia said. "Or maybe I'll marry Mercus- I haven't decided yet."
"And Athenaíí, Zephyrus has long had his eye on you. Perhaps once you're free, the two of you could marry."
Athenaíí blushed.
"Don't be ridiculous, My Lady," she replied.
"I'm not. He's good looking and I'm sure he'd make a wonderful husband."
Aphrodisia started giggling.
"She has her eye on someone else," she said.
"Who? Who?"
Athenaíí glared at Aphrodisia as if to say, don't you dare.
"She's in love with Prince Jason. She never said or did anything about it because she never thought he would ever notice her."
"I thought I told you to keep quiet, " Athenaíí cut in.
"It just slipped out. I couldn't help it."
Athenaíí slapped her.
"I guess I couldn't help that either."
She ran off into the hills, leaving Aphrodisia behind, crying.
Piper now understood the cause of Athenaíí's coldness towards her. Athenaíí assumed that she and Jason were in love and was jealous. She saw all the looks exchanged between the two of them and Princess Reyna's envious outbursts whenever they were together and believed the worst.
"Wait, " Hazel said as Piper rose from where she sat. "Let her cool off a little."
Ignoring Hazel's suggestion, Piper followed the slave into the hills.