CHAPTER 1

                                    

                                          
PERCY
                          
His heart pumped wildly and anger fumed through his head. Had he seen what he thought he had? Did it really happen? 
                          
He was too sad to speak. He watched the girl he'd been to Tartarus and back with, who he'd been in a relationship with for longer than forever, who he thought was perfect for him, who he was about to propose to, lying there, limp, with a black-eye. She wasn't moving. Annabeth didn't even twitch. 
                          
"She's out cold." Piper said from behind him. Her voice was frail, weak, shaking.
                          
Percy's voice cracked as he said "What h-happened? Who did this to her?"
                          
"I don't know. All I know is that she's been like this for an hour. Not moving."
                          
"Why didn't you get Will?" 
                          
"Actually... Okay. Here goes nothing. I do know what happened, but you're not going to like it."
                          
Percy turned around to see Piper, who had eyeliner streaking down her face. He grabbed both her shoulders and, in a demanding voice, cried "What happened to my girlfriend?"
                          
Piper suddenly found interest in the softness of her hair. She decided to grab and pull at it as she doubled over in tears. She was holding in the wailing she let out, and she was also probably trying to talk. 
                          
"N-Nico... R-raised-d h-hell on her... He g-got angry and..." Piper's whole body failed and she fell on the ground, trembling and sobbing.
                          
Percy felt his heart leap out of his throat and shatter like glass. His emotions felt like a dark, brooding void that was far beyond control, a cosmic force that he couldn't grasp. Nothing made enough sense for him to yell at Piper. But he certainly wanted to kill Nico for what he did. 
                          
"Did... Did Will side with Nico?" Percy managed to sputter out.
                          
"Will is such an over-protective boyfriend. He'll always side with Nico. Always validate what he did." Jason said. Percy hadn't realised his arrival. He was quiet, when he wasn't yelling orders to a Roman legion. 
                          
Piper nodded in silent agreement. 
                          
"What did Annabeth do?" Percy asked, still crying.
                          
"I don't know. He just cracked it... Then cracked the earth." Jason replied.
                          
"Well," Piper said, lifting her head up to look at the boys. "If it's revenge Percy wants, it's revenge we shall seek!"
                          
Jason lifted his arms up and said "Look, I'm not gonna be part of this. You should keep it civilised, though. Don't go fighting any demigods."
                          
Piper kissed Jason on the cheek and said "Okay, Sparky. Bye-bye." 
                          
Percy and Piper walked across camp. It was a bit chilly, but the magical barrier that prevented unwanted weather didn't let it get too cold. 
                          
They headed for the infirmary, where they saw the exact two people they wanted: Will Solace and Nico di Angelo. They were making out, Nico being lifted lightly by his boyfriend. It was a cute, romantic sight, but Percy didn't miss a beat as he walked up... Unlike Piper, who still had some inner Aphrodite.
                          
"Awwww..." Piper cooed. Percy had to agree that it was indeed sweet, but his girlfriend had been knocked out but that bloody goth.
                          
"C'mon, Pipes. Think about Annabeth." he said. 
                          
Piper collected herself and joined him. 
                          
"Nico..." Percy choked, his confidence failing. "What did you do to Annabeth?"
                          
Will dropped Nico in surprise, but it wasn't big a fall. Both of them looked quite surprised that Percy and Piper had come.
                          
"She's knocked out cold! She's been like this for ages! I don't think she's breathing, and I haven't checked for pulse, but... She probably has a concussion, or something! She won't move, and Piper said it's all your fault. I thought I could trust you! I thought..." Thoughts raced around Percy's head. Words he didn't want to say. Not about Annabeth. Not now. 
                          
Nico looked one verge of tears. He had sat himself down on a nearby bed, and his face looked even paler than usual. 
                          
"P-Percy..." he murmured, but the room was quiet enough for his voice to be clear, even through the shakes and trembles. Tears raced down his cheeks as he whispered "I didn't mean to, I swear."
                          
"You did do it, though!" Piper screamed. 
                          
"It's all your fault."
                          
Nico's eyes closed and he hung his head. Will looked at him sadly and put a hand on his shoulder. But all the son of Hades could get out was "Percy... What about Bianca?"