Annabeth POV

There it was. My name and "Siren" being put together—and I had no idea why. I also had no idea how Luke found us so easily. What to do now, you ask? I have no clue whatsoever. Yeah, we had a bajillion plans, but we really didn't plan on Luke finding us that fast. I mean, it has barely been twenty minutes since we entered the tunnel, and now Luke had me and Percy, and I didn't know where Jason and Leo were, I had just left them willingly. And if Luke is focused on us, that either means the war upstairs is done, the Questers have won, and Luke just wants to do as much as possible before he gets taken away, or he knows that the Questers can't defeat him. Or he's already defeated the Questers, and they're all up on the surface, no one alive because my plan didn't work. My throat caught as we stood there, staring at one another.

Percy was glaring daggers at Luke. Some demigods had restrained him, shaking Riptide loose and pinning his arms back, the same thing they did to me. Except I was kind of glad for the support, because frankly, I didn't know if I could hold myself up. I glanced down at my leg, seeing the blood flow freely. I needed to wrap it, needed to staunch the blood flow, but every time I moved, a bolt of pain slashed through me, nausea waking in my stomach. I swallowed hard, fighting back the agonizing throbs, and tried to stay focused on what was going on.

"Luke," I muttered with disgust. I really didn't know what else to say, and somebody had to break the silence. Percy looked too mad to speak, he'd probably just trip over his own tongue as he tried to say a thousand things at once—most of which I bet a lot of people would cringe at. Luke just stood there smugly, and his men were crowded around, guarding me and Percy.

"Ah, you say my name with such tender care," Luke said, placing a hand over his heart. "I'm touched."

"How did—"

"I find you?" Luke asked, cutting me off and finishing my sentence. "Well, it wasn't a very good plan. I have scouts everywhere, and it wasn't really like you were being quiet. Oh, yeah, here's your friends." He snapped his fingers, and behind us I heard footsteps and angry mumbling. Jason and Leo were herded in here by more of Luke's men, and they forced my two friends over to stand by Percy and I. I eyed them quickly, but they seemed fine. Just angry beyond belief, glaring fiercely at Luke.

"My, my," the son of Hermes clucked, shaking his head. "Such warm welcomes I'm getting. And I even let you all live."

"You wouldn't kill Annabeth," Jason said matter-of-factly. "You need her for something."

Like sneered. "Ah, but I can kill her when I'm done using her."

"You slimy, cowardly, no good rotten son of a—" Percy growled, bristling at his words.

"Oh, Percy," Luke replied, chuckling at the fuming son of Poseidon. "I can kill her. I've done something like that to you before, what's one more time?"

Oh. Ouch.

Percy was speechless, emotions chasing each other across his face. He glanced at me, eyes wide, and I saw one clear emotion in his face.

I heard a gasp, and turned to see a rather surprised Luke. "Oh. Oh, wow." Luke sounded like he had found something unexpected and amusing. "You love her, don't you? Well, I have to be honest, I didn't think that would happen."

I whipped my head back around to stare at Percy, but he wasn't looking at me. He was avoiding my eyes. Percy loved me? Truly? But now wasn't really the time for my girly feelings to come up and for the butterflies to start raging about in my chest.

Like continued. "I just wanted you two to become good friends, so Percy would drag Annabeth into this, and bring her to me. But, hey—this makes it even more interesting."

"What do you even want me for?" I demanded, trying to change the subject. I was still trying to ignore the pain in my leg, but I was getting worried about the continual loss of blood.

Luke pursed his lips, thinking. "Well, I guess I can tell you. I don't think any of you will make it out, and it won't matter. Annabeth will help me."

I snorted. "Don't bet on it, sweetheart."

He smirked at me. "Heard of the Ophiotaurus?" I frowned. I had, but Luke kept talking, not letting me answer. "Well, just so you know, sweetheart, I want it. Or, its entrails, more specifically. Whoever sacrifices the entrails gains enough power to overthrow Olympus." Luke's gaze turned distant, his eyes greedy and hungry for that power.

"And... how are we going to help with that?" Jason asked, confused. His hands were free, but he didn't have his weapon. Leo's too.

"Annabeth will help draw it to me."

I narrowed my eyes at Luke's words. "How?"

Luke smirked. "Story time, kids." He took a deep breath. "So, remember Frederick Chase? Well, you don't I bet. He died before you really could remember him." I let my jaw drop, astonished at the way he said my dad had died. His tone was the same as though he were talking about the weather. "Anyways, Athena wanted to make him immortal. But the gods wouldn't allow it, so Athena decided to try to do it herself. Secretly, of course. She knew what would happen if you sacrifice the entrails of the Ophiotaurus. Of course, she wasn't going to give him that kind of, but she heard that if you only sacrifice half the entrails, then you could have enough power to survive the process of becoming immortal. So she turned her focus on that.

"Athena found an old charm that would, once you drink the potion and recite the right words, draw the Ophiotaurus. None of the gods knew she was doing this. However, before she could use it, Poseidon killed Frederick. Athena had drunk the potion before you were born, but she didn't use it. As a god, she stored it away in her brain, forgetting it. But then, her next child was born, from her brain, and she lost all contents of the potion. It went into her newest mind-child, giving the child the ability to draw the Ophiotaurus."

"Me." I uttered that single word, everything shifting into place.

"Yes," Luke answered. "And since you are able to lure the Ophiotaurus into our trap, we call you—"

"The Siren." I was lost in my thoughts, which were rushing about and untangling slowly as I deciphered them. He wanted to use me to gain power. To overthrow Olympus. I was the key. With me, the whole world could become endangered by giving Luke that power. I felt Percy's condoling hand on my shoulder. They had released us both, and we were standing by each other. Jason and Leo were next to us as well. But we weren't unguarded—at least twenty demigods surrounded us.

I felt sick. Then my eyebrows drew together. I didn't just feel sick, I was actually sick. And not because of this new knowledge, though that did increase the nausea. Suddenly, the corridor started spinning, and I felt bile on my tongue. I was panting hard. I couldn't stay up. I started falling, but strong arms caught me.

"Annabeth?" I heard Percy's worried voice. I didn't reply. Overwhelming pain was jerking in my thigh, a pulsating rhythm of agony.

Luke's voice also entered my hearing. "Get her ambrosia, we need her alive!" A few seconds later, I felt something pressed to my lips, and I opened them. Ambrosia was shoved into my mouth. It tasted delicious, the sweet, warm flavor spreading through my body. But soon the pain was overriding it. I waited anxiously for the ambrosia to settle and start its magic.

Percy was holding me close, and someone—Jason, I think—was trying to stop the blood flow in my leg with a piece of torn cloth. "Annabeth, stay with me, stay with me," Percy whispered into my hair. I buried my head in his chest, trying to stop seeing the world spin around. He was warm, familiar, comforting. I just wanted to fall sleep. Maybe take a little nap, with Percy, right here on the floor. The dirt wasn't that hard under me. Maybe because I wasn't on the dirt, I was drawn up onto Percy's lap.

Then everything was put back into focus. The room stopped swimming around me. The pounding pain in my leg was reduced to a dull throb, allowing my brain to work fully once more. I opened my eyes, seeing sea-green ones staring anxiously into mine.

I took a deep breath. "I'm fine," I muttered, trying to stand again. I hated looking weak—especially in front of enemies. I glanced down at my leg to see it wrapped and not bleeding anymore. My clothes were still covered in blood, but at least I wasn't losing any more. I tried to stand up, and I was able to, but I couldn't put too much weight on my leg. It still hurt like Hades. But I swallowed the grimace and attempted to put on a brave face. Percy stood at my side, hand out in case I needed support.

I scowled back at Luke as he sneered and kept talking. "As I was saying, we call you the Siren. And now all you need to do is bring the Ophiotaurus to us."

"That's not going to happen," I said determinedly. If I had the power to change this war, I was going to change it for the greater good. There was no way I was going to let Luke get that power, especially if I could make it not happen. But Luke just kept that sneaky, ugly little sneer on his face as he signaled towards the guards. Each one of my friends and I were grabbed by a demigod and shoved forward. Luke's other men grabbed our weapons and walked beside us, eyeing us warily, looking to see if we would make a move. But I could barely walk without my leg collapsing, so I didn't think they had much to worry about. Percy constantly sent concerned glances at me, his eyes roaming to my injured leg every now and then. I tried to reassure him with my gaze.

Twisting slightly, I got a look at whoever had a hand on my shoulder, driving me. I saw the eyepatch first, then the messy brown hair, and I scowled at him. Ethan Nakamura. He had tried to kill me once already. I hated him.

We kept walking up the tunnel, no sounds save for the heavy footsteps of the twenty or so of us. I didn't know where we were going, but I didn't think I'd gain much in asking. I just let him lead us to wherever he was planning.

Soon we reached the end of the tunnel after what seemed like ten miles to my injured leg. I wished ambrosia made the wound go away fully, not just speed up the healing. But it was better than nothing. Our big group entered a large, empty room. It was bright, but not from Greek torches. We were at the end of the island, the mouth of the big cave opening up right to a rocky shore only two feet below the edge. Sunlight played against the rocks and shimmery water, and a breeze flew my hair, making me realize how hot it had been in the confined cave. I sighed with relief as the gentle wind dried my sweat, giving me a little room to breath evenly. A scent of smoke was carried over, and I followed it to see a carefully controlled fire a little ways from the edge of the cave, torches set around it. It looked... ceremonial.

I tried to peer out to see if I could catch any sign of our friends fighting, but I saw nothing. We were facing the endless sea, they must've been fighting behind us on the land.

I eyed Luke. He was taking a risk, bringing Percy to the water's edge. This was Percy's home. Percy seemed to be skeptical of that as well. But even as we both thought of it, five of Luke's men all bunched closer to Percy, daring him to make any move. He huffed, glaring at them.

Luke walked out to the edge of the cave, the wind blowing around him, whipping his clothes back and forth. He looked like a prince, standing out there against the crashing waves. His hand came up and he motioned to his men. Two of them grabbed my arms and shoved me forward more, towards Luke. Percy tried to come to me, but his way was blocked. I shook off the hands of the demigods "escorting" me, scowling as I walked by myself, trying hard not to limp. I went to stand a human length away from Luke, crossing my arms over my chest stubbornly.

He smirked, then pulled a dusty, crinkled scroll from his tunic pocket. He held it up and unrolled it. I caught a glance of it, and saw words printed on there in another language, one I didn't recognize. Frowning, I waited for Luke to say something.

"You," Luke started, leering at me, "are going to call the Ophiotaurus."

"You can't make me," I replied, smirking slightly.

He cocked his head, his own smirk barely visible on his face. "Actually, I can." His tone implied that he knew something I didn't. I hated it when someone used that tone. I felt so helpless.

"I have all your friends up on the island," Luke said. "They were brave, determined fighters—I'll give them that. But did you really think I couldn't defeat the Questers? I have a goddess forced to help me—" my mind flashed to Iris, and I started to sink into despair, "—plus five, healthy drakons just waiting to be let loose and wreak havoc on your little warriors. At my signal, they'll all die. But of course, you can stop that. If you read these words, loud and clear." He stared at me, waiting with a smug smile that I wanted to punch off his face.

I was having a hard time breathing. He gave me a choice, but the decision was the hardest I've ever faced. Choose to save the Questers and possibly doom all of Greece to Luke's evil ways, or save the country and lose my new friends, my new family? I glanced back at Percy, distressed. He looked like me, his eyes flashing with pain as he realized that the outcome of either option wasn't going to be pretty. Leo and Jason both looked horrified, knowing what was right, but refusing to do it. I knew what was right. I mean, it was kind of obvious. I had to save Greece. But how could I kill all of those Questers? They helped me, they followed me into battle, they cared for me, came after me when I was kidnapped. Was I going to repay them by sending them their death? I couldn't do that. I just couldn't. I wouldn't.

I squeezed my eyes shut, my breath ragged. I hated this. I hated Luke. I hated evil. But hating it wasn't going to do anything. "I—," I hesitated, my stare resting on the scroll in Luke's hand. Maybe we could stop him before he could do anything with the entrails. Or maybe he was bluffing, and the Questers were fine. But I couldn't risk it. I had to save them.

My eyes went back once, connecting with Percy's sea green ones, his holding anguish. I wrenched my gaze away, unable to see the disappointment in his orbs that I loved.

Yes. I said love. I loved his sea-green eyes that could render me speechless. I loved his voice that I could listen to all day. I loved his lopsided grin that made my knees turn to jelly. I loved his bellowing laugh that always forced a smile out of me in return. I loved him. I loved Percy.

I loved him, so I wasn't going to let his friends die. I walked up on shaky feet, my hand reaching out to grab the scroll. I held it like it was a bomb about to explode. It was fragile, dust flitting off and flying to the ground when I brought it up. Luke nodded once to me, as if saying, "Good girl."

I spread it wide, standing next to the son of Hermes. The breeze was stronger here, coming in gusts that threatened to tear the paper out of my hands. I held it firmly, squinting at the words. They were blurring. My eyes were watering. What was I doing? Mount Olympus could be overthrown, my mom could be taken captive, everybody in Greece could be killed. All because of me.

No, I told myself, blinking away the tears. We will find a way out of this. So I started to read out loud.

The words were difficult to pronounce, but I did my best. My voice spread out over the ocean, drowning in the raging waters. I felt the eyes of everybody on me, but I kept speaking. It was a long paper, and when I was finished, my mouth was dry, and I breathed heavily, staring at the paper. For a second, nobody moved, said anything, or even breathed it seemed like. Luke was staring anxiously out at the water.

Then a loud "Moo!" split the silence. Everybody's eyes flashed to the spot where it had come from. A creature could be seen there. The Ophiotaurus. It was a weird creature, a mixture of two animals. The anterior end of it was a black cow with a white muzzle, which was opening and closing as it mooed at us. The back of the Ophiotaurus was a dark brown and green serpent, the tail pushing itself forward in the water. It came right up to the edge of the island, looking at me. I stared down at it's big brown eyes, mentally saying "I'm sorry" to it. I glanced back at Luke, and he motioned towards the Ophiotaurus. I knelt down slowly, reaching a hand out.

The Ophiotaurus propelled itself forward, connecting my hand with it's snout. It was wet and soft as I stroked it, trying to calm the frantic mooing. It calmed eventually, and then I heard Luke say, "Get him."

Four of his men rushed forward, and I fell out of their way, backing up. They hauled the Ophiotaurus out of the water, pulling it over to Luke. Luke raised his blade, half steel, half celestial bronze, and twirled it around a little. The demigods were struggling to keep the cow serpent still as Luke stalled. Then without warning, he flipped his blade down and plunged it into the Ophiotaurus. I jumped, then cringed. Looking down at my feet as Luke dug farther in, silencing the moos once and for all. I didn't look behind me at Percy or Jason or Leo. Definitely not Percy. Percy thought of all sea creatures as his friend. I knew he didn't like this at all, but it was better than the Questers dying.

Except for if Luke actually gets to burn it. Then everything would become horribly bad. But maybe we could stop him.

When I got enough guts to look back up, Luke was standing there, holding slimy, gooey entrails in his hands, looking at it like it was the birthday present he's always wanted. He started to walk over to the fire in the room, leaving the corpse of the Ophiotaurus behind.

We needed to move fast. I started looking anxiously around the room, trying to think of a plan. Any plan. I was mentally banging my head against the wall when I saw a glimpse of something. Someone. I stared at the spot, then I saw a face peeking out from above the cave. They were on the land and looking into the cave, their heads upside down as I looked back at them. Hazel. Then I saw another head appear, and another follow it. Frank and Piper. Three more demigods. I didn't know if Luke's men up there had missed them, or they had escaped somehow, but they were here, and they could help. They saw me, and nodded, as if waiting for my signal.

I met eyes with the three demigods down by me, and held up a hand inconspicuously. Most of the eyes in the cave were trained on Luke as he chanted softly and walked towards the fire. He was walking slowly, as if making a big impression. His mistake.

I put up three fingers, then put down one. Then put down another. Percy, Jason, and Leo's eyes were fixed on the last remaining finger, and when I put it down, they jumped into action. Leo set his hand's on fire and clapped them over a demigods ears. Percy pivoted, punching a demigod out of his wits before any of the others could move, and then kicked one in the stomach, reaching into his pocket for Riptide. Jason elbowed the one nearest to him, then when I called his name and pointed towards Luke, who was gaping at the scene before him, sent a blast of air towards Luke. It ripped the entrails out of his grip and right into Hazel's waiting hands, who had jumped down and was going on the attack.