I ran down to the center of the arena as I have done before, facing the large crowd in front of me.

Y/N stood rigidly next to me. I almost forgot how new she was to all of this.

"I'll go easy on you, if that's what you're worried about," I whispered into her ear.

She just punched my arm in response. "Hit me with your best shot," she replied feverishly.

I wasn't expecting that kind of retort. Maybe a tease, or a friendly comeback. But this is Y/N we're talking about. She cares about victory.

Sometimes I question her heritage. She could have been equally acceptable as a child of Nike.

"You're really dumb if you think I'll let you go easy on me," she muttered as Chiron spoke of the obstacles and courses we'd go through before sparing. But we didn't need to hear, we could do it ourselves.

"Don't get so hasty," I replied. "You're talking to the guy who saved the world twice, held up the sky, brought back Zeus' Master Bolt-"

"Shut up," she hissed. "I don't care. I'm gonna rip you to shreds."

And then she smiled.

"I'm just joking with you," she said. "Good luck."

I felt my shoulders relax. "You too," I breathed, moving my hand to almost brush hers.

But apparently she was making the same move, because we ended up holding hands.

Why do I care? I shouldn't care. She's just a girl. A cool, courageous, badass, female.

Yet soon her fingers drifted apart from mine as Chiron stared down at us with his cold eyes.

"I expect fair play from each and every one of you," he announced sternly. "Every one of you."

I held back a snicker as my head turned to my left. Clarisse. To my right, Y/N and Jason. Yeah, that was definitely directed to Clarisse.

Chiron nocked another arrow into his bow, holding it up to the sky.

"Fight!" he cried, letting that singular arrow fly up, up, up to the sky.

I locked eyes with Y/N, pulling out Riptide from my pocket.

She stared back at me with equally narrowed eyes. Scanning me. Sizing me up for the millionth time yet.

"Bona fortuna," she mumbled. "Kalí týchi."

Good luck.

We let out our battle cries, charging together with such force, speed, and agility that would blind any mere mortal.