𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 | 𝐩. 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧

Miss Americana and the heartbreak prince

It was a trick, a fucking trick. All the people at camp were in on it, Evangeline was sure. The Athena kids left the brunette alone with the one person she didn't want to be left alone with.

As silence settled over them, Percy realized what Annabeth's minions had done. Even during inspection, it was against camp rules for two campers of the opposite sex to be alone in a cabin. The rule had come up a lot when Silena and Beckendorf started dating.

Percy knows what some of you might be thinking: Aren't all demigods related on the godly side, and doesn't make dating gross? But the thing is, the godly side of your family doesn't count genetically speaking, since gods don't have DNA like mortals. A demigod would never think about dating someone who had the same godly parent. Like two kids from Athena Cabin? No way. But a daughter of Aphrodite and son of Hephaestus? They're not related, so it's no problem.

For some reason, Percy was thinking about that as he watched Evangeline inspect the cabin in complete silence. Percy cleared his throat. "So... is she getting any good info from that?" he pointed to Annabeth's laptop.

"Info?" The brunette looked at him.

"Information." He clarified.

"Oh," she said. "I think she's getting too much from that thing. All she does is stay on it. I'm worried she doesn't even sleep."

"Yeah," The son of Poseidon muttered. "Probably doesn't."

"You know..." She said. "This whole thing with Beckendorf and Silena. I feel bad for her, she lost someone she loved."

She twisted her camp necklace. "I guess it makes you think. About what's important. About losing people who are important to you."

Percy nodded. His brain felt like it was starting to seize on random, little details, like the fact she was wearing her snake necklace that Hades had given her years ago.

"Um—yeah," he stammered. "Like... is everything cool with your mom's ghost? Has she visited you?"

The daughter of Hades shifted on her feet. "Don't know, haven't seen her since last year," She gave him a sweet smile. "you know, after your two-week vacation with Calypso." she dropped the smile.

Percy had a feeling she wasn't over that yet. He decided to change the topic before Evangeline snapped. "What was she like? Your mom?"

"She was..." Evangeline didn't like talking about her mother, she never knew how to describe her. "Let's just say she wasn't anything like your mom is."

The son of Poseidon looked at her, then at her wrist where the scar from the glass Mary had thrown at her was. From knowing her for years, the topic of Evangeline's mom was something he was never going to get her to talk about.

He never said anything out of respect for the late mother but from the bits and pieces he had heard, Mary Merlyn didn't exactly seem like a loving and caring mother like his mom was.

Evangeline stared out the window. "Three out of five," she said. "Come on. Let's finish your reports and get back to Chiron."

On the way to the Big House, they read the last report, which was handwritten on a maple leaf from a satyr in Canada. If possible the note made her feel worse. The note read: Dear Grover, Woods outside Toronto attacked by giant evil badger. Tried to do as you suggested and summon power of Pan. No effect. Many naiads' trees destroyed. Retreating to Ottawa. Please advise. Where are you? —Gleeson Hedge, protector.

Evangeline grimaced slightly. "Have you heard anything from him? From Grover? Even with your empathy link?"

The son of Poseidon shook his head dejectedly. Ever since last summer when the god Pan died, Grover had been drifting further and further away. The Council of Cloven Elders treated him like an outcast, but Grover still traveled all over the East Coast, trying to spread the word about Pan and convince nature spirits to protect their own little bits of the wild. He'd only come back to camp a few times to see his girlfriend Juniper.