"The greatest loss you can feel in your life is not grief, not heartbreak, not failure. It is abandonment. When you're abandoned, your heart breaks over and over again over someone who was naturally supposed to be there. And when you're abandoned by two parents as a child, you grow up feeling like a failure - now, that is something to live with."

Percy had never seen Frank look as terrified as he did now, finding the two of them passed out in the glass bottomed floor.

"What...?" Percy rubbed his eyes. "Oh, we just fell asleep."

Frank swallowed. He was dressed in running shoes, dark cargo pants, and a Winter Olympics T-shirt. Frank averted his eyes as if the sight of them together might burn him.

"Jason thinks you've been kidnapped," he said. "When the royals find out-oh, gods, you've been here all night?"

"Frank!" Annabeth's ears were as red as strawberries. "We just came down here to talk. We fell asleep. Accidentally. That's it."

"Kissed a couple of times," Percy said.

Annabeth glared at him. "Not helping!"

"Annabeth... What are you... Nevermind, I'm not asking", Frank stared at Annabeth and Percy realised what exactly she was wearing. He quickly put the blanket over her legs and glared at him.

"We'd better..." Frank pointed to the doors. "Uh, you're supposed to get to breakfast. Would you explain what you did-I mean didn't do? I mean... I really don't want the parents-I mean royals-to kill me."

Frank ran.

And Percy? Percy had a completely different reason why his face was as red as a tomato. It had something to do with two things: morning and dreams. It was hard to admit it but thank gods he had brought a drop-down overcoat with him. He made sure he stayed behind Annabeth and as soon as he exited the terrace, he quickly grabbed the coat and put it on.

Annabeth noticed and frowned.

Percy was blushing so much that his cheeks felt hot.

She didn't see anything, did she?

"I feel cold", he defended.

When everyone finally gathered in Percy's room, it wasn't quite as bad as Frank had feared. Jason was mostly relieved. Leo couldn't stop grinning and muttering, "Classic. Classic." Only Hazel seemed scandalised, maybe because wasn't 18 yet. She kept fanning her face and wouldn't meet Percy's eyes.

Percy was bummed that Luke wasn't on duty yet.

Naturally, Sally went dumbfounded; but Percy found it hard to take his mother's scoldings seriously mainly because she was smiling the entire time.

Annabeth said, "It was an accident. We were talking, and we fell asleep."

Percy tried not to laugh. "It won't happen again, mom. I promise. Now, don't we have other places to be?"

Annabeth changed in Percy's walk in closet. It was too close to breakfast time so Annabeth going down from the third floor looking like she spent the night was probably not the best idea. Percy gave her one of his sweatpants and an orange tee.

He figured they were all probably late anyway, so he told them that he'd take a bath and that Sally and Annabeth should go for breakfast. Thankfully they didn't protest and it gave him time to take care of his... problem.

He had put Annabeth's dress in a paper bag. He decided he'd leave it in her room when the maids weren't there. To his embarrassment, he had actually been running his hands on the material when his dad decided to burst in.

He frantically tried to shove it away. "Dad - what are you...?"

"Your turn with Estelle today, Perce. And..." He looked at his guards. "Give me one private moment with the Prince please."

The guards immediately gave a low bow and turned around in attention position but did no move to leave. Paul sighed, "Guess, that's all I get. Mom and I are taking care of most of stuff so we won't attend the second eliminations. Have you given the list yet?"

Estelle interrupted. "Dada Daddy... Up up!"

"Yeah, it's approved already. Just waiting for tomorrow."

"Up up up up"

"That's settled then. What about EE*65?"

She pouted. "Uuup"

Percy beckoned her over. "Baby, come here," he turned back to Paul, "I thought mom was handling the reforms..."

"We have too many cases in hand." He rubbed his eyes. "Look, I'm sorry. I know this means less time for the Selection and all-"

"No, it's okay. Turns out Chiron is pushing them too much. They're all tired anyway. They had class till 7 yesterday."

Paul snickered, "I wonder what their reaction will be when they realize that it was all-"

Percy unconsciously did two mistakes: 1) When Estelle came towards him, instead of jumping on him, she started climbing on the bed and Percy left her alone. That was a mistake.

She must have noticed something because the first thing she did was take out Annabeth's dress from the cover and ask, "Whatizzit whatizzit".

Fortunately, kids couldn't tell when their brothers went red .

Unfortunately, Step-dads could.

Again, unfortunately, some thoughts came back to Percy's mind and he was so glad he had taken care of his problem instead of avoiding it.

Percy immediately grabbed the bag and shoved things back in but the damage was done. He lifted Estelle and half-turned to his step-father. Paul's face was unreadable which was never a good thing.

He spoke in a diplomatic I-give-no-mention tone. "Is that one of the Selected's?"

Is he angry?

Percy scrunched up his nose. "It's Annabeth's."

And that, my readers, was the second mistake.

Paul's jaw dropped and his expression went from I-am-a-stranger to man!-where's-the-details faster than Leo. "Ooh..."

He sounded just like Leo.

"GOSH, NO, IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK. SERIOUSLY PAUL!" He looked away in embarrassment. "Where were you this morning?! We just finished explaining everybody!"

Paul was still smiling. "We?"

Percy blushed.

Paul continued. "I'm just messing with you. So, how was it?"

"Shut up!"

"I mean as long as you were careful... I guess it's-"

"DAD!"

Percy needs to wash his face. In cold water. FOR TEN MINUTES! Because if he goes down blushing like this, they'll think he has a fever!

"Okay okay." His expression turned serious again. "But seriously, you're not actually-"

"NO! GODS! You're forgetting that I hardly know them-"

Paul raised one eyebrow. "Well... that hasn't exactly-"

Percy looked at Estelle, alarmed and raised his hand. "Hold and keep that thought to yourself. I still didn't get to breakfast. Did she eat yet?"

When Percy carried over an exceedingly over-curious Estelle out of his room, he noticed that Paul's guards were outside: The Stoll Brothers AND The senior guards.

Judging by their looks, they heard it all.

That means Malcom will plan to kill him within this week, because, obviously, the Stolls would pretend that they heard things partly.

Better arrange a gang meet before things go out of hand.

Where was Luke when Percy wished he was here?

...

They got stares from the Selected when Sally and Annabeth entered together. Annabeth, for what they can see, had an over-sized coat on. Although Selected won't be able to tell that it was Percy's cloths underneath, they could definitely tell it wasn't Annabeth's and it won't take long to put two and two together; so she took the safer route.

Piper rose an eyebrow as Annabeth sat down and she mouthed a "Later".

Sally spoke up, "Good morning to all the beautiful ladies! I believe your training classes have started ahead of time, thanks to you all learning the first level of things easily-"

Or the fact that 10 people were eliminated before we started but Annabeth chose to keep that opinion to herself.

"- Your etiquette lessons will continue but less frequently and the Prince will announce certain changes in regards to the recent events. From Monday, your training scores and improvements will be tallied and individual records will be maintained. You're allowed access to the ground and the arena between 8 am and 8 pm, even without classes, till the end of Selection, but your scores or the hours will not be counted in the official records. I need not remind you but no wandering around please. The third floor and above is still strictly out of bounds for any Selected-"

Is she looking at me?

She wasn't ready for more time in training. It was already exhausting enough.

"-That said, it's time for the bad news. Percy has already made his eliminations and you'll be informed by tonight. As usual, tomorrow during breakfast you'll be sitting in your own seat. Thank you."

The rest of the breakfast went silently except for Piper's shriek when Annabeth mentioned how she and Percy had 'accidentally' fallen asleep.

"Does someone care to tell me why she's wearing a coat to breakfast?" Asked Piper.

"Percy and I went on a date yesterday."

Piper grinned, "Details, details."

"Dinner." She started smiling too, "On the rooftop."

Piper clamped her hands over her mouth. "Oh my gods. How was it?"

Annabeth thought about it for a while. Everything happened so fast that she didn't get any time to put her feelings in place yet. "I did something stupid and Percy thought I was being serious. I felt so uncomfortable at first but eventually it was just us again. It was... great actually"

"What's with the riddles?"

Annabeth sighed. Piper was always an open person but Annabeth wasn't. She felt vulnerable sharing something like this. She wanted to though.

So, she did. She told her how the girls messed with her mind earlier that week, how she showed up in the most ridiculous outfit she's ever laid her eyes on, how Percy took it at first but changed as soon as he knew she was uncomfortable.

Piper put a hand over her shoulders as assurance. "He's a good guy, Annabeth. You two have something. I can't explain it but I see it. Don't let the Selection get to you."

"That's the problem. I think it already has gotten to me and how long has it been? A month? How did things get so complicated so fast?"

'Hey,' she said gently. 'Don't try to shut out the feelings. You won't be able to. Just let them wash over you and drain out again. You're scared.'

'Gods, yes, I'm scared.'

'You're angry.'

'At Percy for being an idiot,' she said. 'At the Selected for complicating everything, at me for being possessive.'

'At me?' Piper asked.

Annabeth managed a laugh. 'Yes, for being so annoyingly nice.'

"Hey!"

'And for being a good friend.'

'Ha!'

'And for having your head on straight about guys and relationships and Selection –'

'I'm sorry. Have you met me?'

Annabeth punched her arm, but there was no force to it. 'I feel stupid, sitting here talking about my feelings. We need to get to class.'

"Coach's killings can wait."

Annabeth smiled.

'Whatever happens,' she told Annabeth, 'I'm your friend. Just ... remember that, okay?'

She nodded.

Piper said, "That still doesn't explain why you're in a coat now."

"Oh that. I didn't get up soon enough so I had to improvise."

"Your maids let you sleep in? Mine literally carry me over and deposit me in the bathtub every time I don't get up."

"Ah... not that. Percy and I fell slept on the picnic blanket."

"You did WHAT?" She said.

Few girls looked their way. "Shh... Piper!"

"Sorry but what?"

"We feel asleep! It was an accident!"

"Bet my ass it wasn't!" She started to smile.

Miss Willow cleared her throat from behind them for Piper's cursing.

Gosh, did she hear this?

Piper smirked at her. "So, you're wearing this to practice?"

Oh, that would give the girls a good reason to scowl at me.

...

Piper, Annabeth, Clarisse and Thalia were walking together in the first floor corridor after lunch that day.

Annabeth said, "So wait... You're telling me I have three friends among the Selected, all three of whom are not interested in Percy?"

Thalia smirked. "Don't worry Annie, I doubt we'd be able to convert you even if we tried."

Clarisse put one hand on Annabeth's shoulder. "Especially after last night..."

Annabeth shrugged her off her shoulders. "Grow up people!"

Thalia tried to not laugh. "Yes... You did, didn't you?"

Suddenly Piper's vision tunnelled. From the left, a guard came towards them- Jason. He extended one hand towards Piper's direction and she felt her heart skip a beat.

What is he doing?

Then he said, "Lady Annabeth." And smiled.

Annabeth's face scrunched up. "What's this idiot? Cut it."

Piper felt her throat constrict at their easy interaction. Why is he smiling so much?

"MIRROR..." He looked at his watch. "NO, NO MIRROR. CODE MAGENTA, SIT POSEIDON'S THRONE."

"What's the occasion?"

"Brothers gave thee brother ideas."

Of course, none of the others understood what he said but Annabeth laughed. Since when did she have brothers?

Since when was Jason this close to her?

Annabeth must have noticed something on Piper's expression because she stepped away when he tried to put his around her.

"What? My instructions were to drag you over." He mocked.

"I can walk."

She waved them goodbye and smiled apologetically at Piper. At least she understood. Piper doesn't want to feel jealous; she just does. It is stupid; especially because Annabeth clearly explained to her that it is only because they've known each other for long and there was nothing and will never be anything between Annabeth and Jason.

She sighed.

They would've gone maybe 4 steps ahead when suddenly a siren's alarm wailed through the speakers.

"What's going on?" Clarisse asked.

Jason and Annabeth instantly lost their mirth and looked around, tensed. They shared a look like 'this is real'. Jason tried to approach the girls but Annabeth held his biceps. "Find Percy." He hesitated. "Go. I'll take care of Piper and the girls."

Jason looked surprised and he nodded like he was embarrassed or thankful, Piper couldn't say which.

He ran off towards the stairs and Annabeth ran to their right, beckoning the girls to follow her. They ran upstairs and Annabeth guided them towards one of the storage rooms. She clicked three or four panels in the wall and a brick opened up to show a letters panel. She took one quick look at the rest of them and typed 'other'. The letters disappeared and she put her thumb on the panel.

A door opened to her right. Piper, Clarisse and Thalia rushed in and Annabeth pressed another panel from inside to close the door again. For a minute, they were in complete darkness and then faint lights came up. About three feet ahead of them was a staircase leading down.

Thalia asked. "Why did we run to the second floor if we're going back down?"

"If the palace is infiltrated from the outside then the middle floors are safer to travel." Annabeth replied.

Clarisse said, "And if it is from inside?"

She started walking downstairs. "Then I just gave away a safe-house. Be alert."

They reached another corridor after climbing down several sets of staircases. Piper was lean so she could go through easily but this place was seriously narrow. If she was right then they were at least a floor below the basement. Annabeth paused at a turning for a moment, thinking, before taking right. She beckoned the girls inside a small room and closed the door.

"Don't leave. Don't trust anyone. Even guards. Password is Margaritas. If you see a Selected outside then let them in."

She opened a big wooden box and cursed. "Wrong room." She took out a bow and quiver with several arrows. "Stay here unless someone knowing the password says otherwise. Be alert girls."

Piper couldn't stay quiet anymore. "What's going on?"

She sighed. "I don't know yet. This is procedure. I have to go. Supplies are in the boxes. Figure the rest out."

...

"It is not the first time it happened. I don't know why you all are making a deal out of it." Said Percy.

Leo added, "Falling asleep next to the fireplace in an open camp with Estelle in between you two isn't the same."

Percy rolled his eyes. "That was still when I was... you know. Shouldn't that be more concerning?"

"Not really. Annabeth isn't like that. Besides, half the time you were around her you were worried if she hates you."

"I wasn't", he denied.

Leo ignored him, "She didn't."

That's when they heard the alarm go off.

Percy's eyes widened and he ran towards the meeting rooms. Leo shouted at him about him being the most important royal and that they should follow procedure but he was hearing none of it. Only one idea was in his mind: Mom.

No, I'm not losing anyone again.

Percy opened the meeting room to find Sally. Tyson was hugging her. "Come on. To safehouse A. Who has clearance here?" He looked at the guards.

Just then Jason came in. "I do. Good you're all safe. Percy, where's Leo?"

Leo came in, panting, from the other entrance. "Here. Run faster, will you? I don't know why you need-"

"No time. Jason, take them. I need to find Paul, Estelle and the Selected." Percy said.

"The king and the princess are safe. Stolls just told me that they're taking them to A. I just gave Ethan clearance to take the Selected in. We should go to the safehouse Percy. If they're attacking, it's you who needs safety."

"These girls trust us in spite of everything. I can't just leave them. Assemble the Selected in saferoom A." Jason hesitated. "That's an order."

Percy ran and Jason told Leo to take care of the other royals before following him. Together they reached the second-floor rooms and found many maids and few Selected outside their rooms. Percy shouted. "This is not a drill. Maids to your safehouses. Selected follow. Don't panic. We don't know the situation yet."

That sounded like the exact reason why they should panic but Percy didn't give them enough time to. They quickly picked up anyone else who was inside the rooms. Percy grabbed a sword from a display and beckoned everyone through an all too familiar flight of stairs. After several turns, they finally came to safehouse A.

….

Annabeth wasn't afraid. She wasn't alarmed either. No, she was confused.

She first scanned the corridors for any problem. Then went to the common room and helped the guards to guide the Selected to saferoom A. (Percy's orders.) None of the guards had clearance for A there.

Weird thing is: she walked through the ground floor and the first floor and there was no problem. Sure, everyone was alarmed: shouting, panicking, and running; but… there was just no reason to panic. No attack, no one with weapons, no shooting, not even smoke bombs- just nothing!

So yeah, she was confused.

When she finally approached saferoom A, someone from the inside asked for the password. Not willing to reveal it in front of at least 10 others, she used hand print instead. Needless to say, everyone else stared at her.

The door opened to reveal Jason. He looked at Annabeth and nodded. "I think she brought everyone else, Percy!"

Percy looked from where he was standing next to Drew. He nodded and went back to checking on everyone else. Annabeth tried to not look bothered about it. After Annabeth made everyone sit down in groups, she went to Percy. She noticed Thalia, Clarisse and Piper there too.

"12 on my side." She said.

He nodded. "Plus you, and 12 on mine. We got everyone."

Shit.

"No. 12 on my side including me."

He cursed. "Who's missing?" He hardly looked around before saying. "Rachel."

Wow. How did he find out so easily?

Was he looking for her?

"She could be in the gardens." He said.

Annabeth couldn't help it. "How do you know?"

He shrugged. "Artistic inspiration or something. I'll go look for her."

Jason joined them. "Percy, you should stay. We don't know what weapons are out there. You should be safe."

He glared at Jason. "I said I'm going." He took one of the water bottles from the walls, washed his hands and drank a little of it. He then poured the rest of the water on his head and grabbed his sword.

Where did Riptide come from now?

Annabeth said, "I'm going too. The gardens are too big."

Percy cupped her face in his hands. "No, Wise Girl. You should take care of the others. Let us handle this." He looked right into her eyes like he was trying to convince her.

She used his words and shrugged herself out of his embrace, "I said I'm going."

She was no damsel in distress and she wasn't foolish enough to fall into Percy's tactics.

"I said you're not." He pressed.

"You see anyone else here with as good battle training as me?"

He shook his head. "You don't have a sword."

"This is emergency."

He pressed his lips together in disapproval. "You know the rules. You can't." He crowded her space again, "And I don't care Annabeth. Not you."

"Then not you either!"

"You're impossible!"

"You too!"

"S.T.A.Y." He looked at her again as he went outside. "I mean it."

…..

Rachel was walking around in the gardens with her earphones on when she thought she saw something strange.

Did they have delivery services at the castle?

A delivery truck was parked inside the palace boundaries, right next to the guards' wing. Rachel didn't know much about the palace but she doubted if the royals would approve of this.

Especially Percy.

It was a fish foods delivery truck.

Whoever suggested this obviously didn't know a thing about the Prince.

She laughed lightly and her music system died because of low battery. She sighed and pulled her earphones out.

Suddenly, her world became too quiet.

That's when she heard it – the alarm.

Again, Rachel didn't know much about the palace but she remembered this from her classes. If the siren does a stop-long wail-stop sound, then it was an emergency alarm.

How long has this been ringing?

Rachel's mind clogged up. She didn't know what to do. Should she run back to the palace? Should she hide here? In the end, she decided staying here could be really dangerous. Besides, any help was inside.

She quickly made her way across the grounds back to the palace, farthest from the delivery truck because that felt suspicious. When she tried to open the doors, it was closed. She banged them once, twice before realising this was probably the worst idea. Thankfully, a guard came from the other side.

"You must be in safe rooms! What are you doing here?" He opened the door.

"I just heard the alarm. Where is the safe room?" She asked.

The guard immediately pointed his spear at her. "Where? Who are you?"

Rachel raised her arms up to show surrender. She wasn't the bad one here. "I'm Lady Rachel. Selected."

The guard's eyes widened, whether in shock or interest, she couldn't say. "Ma'am, you're supposed to… Well I don't have clearance to know where. But some safe room. Please follow me."

Rachel didn't exactly have an option either way. It was either trust the guard or go on her own. She didn't trust her battle skills.

The guard was lean but Rachel knew that if he wanted, he could have easily taken advantage of her or hurt her – which he didn't – so that was a good sign. He guided her towards storage room. He opened a door inside it and guided her into a murky corridor.

Were safe rooms supposed to be in congested corridors?

"Go in miss. I will have to find out how to transport you."

He closed the door and Rachel suddenly got doubts about this guy. 1) He had advantage here. 2) He didn't look too genuine. 3) She was a Selected.

She had heard enough stories about people trying to take advantage of ladies to think they were all just stories. Couldn't be. He turned around to face her and Rachel felt another wave of discomfort wash over her – what was I thinking? Trusting a stranger like this?

Just as she thought that, he cried out in pain and fell down. A knife struck painfully out of his sternum.

A voice talked from behind Rachel, giving her goose bumps. "Shh... you run and the next knife will go through your neck." A cold hand closed around her mouth. "Very good. See? That wasn't hard. Now follow me."

He forcefully dragged Rachel around as she thrashed around. It was useless though. This guard was big and he had an iron grip on her waist and mouth. He opened the first door on the right and rushed in.

He pressed her back flush onto his front and Rachel felt sick. "Don't do anything stupid and I won't too." He brought the knife to her neck. "Clear?"

She sobbed.

He grabbed her neck and showed the knife to her. "Is that clear?" He growled.

She sobbed and nodded.

"Good. You don't run, nothing happens to you."

He then pushed her to the floor and started looking for something in the shelves. Rachel noticed that he had kept his knife on his belt.

She played dumb.

"What do you think you're doing? When my love hears about this-"

"Shut it. It's not gonna work."

"You don't know who I am! My father is-"

He turned and held the knife to her throat again. "SHUT UP."

She sobbed again, faking it this time.

He grunted and kept the knife on the floor this time.

For a kidnapper, this guy sure is stupid.

Rachel took the chance and swiftly grabbed the knife. By the time he turned, she'd already stabbed him on his right shoulder and ran out. She ran out of the corridors, out of the storage room and into the palace when a sharp pain pierced through her lower left thigh.

She wailed and leaned on the wall. Every move she made left her crying out in pain. Something really sharp had pierced through her skin.

He spoke. "That wasn't so hard, was it? What did I tell you? Stay still and nothing will happen."

This guy throws knives with his left hand?

It's just my luck, isn't it?

Rachel sobbed for real this time. It didn't just hurt, it burned. She felt like acid was seeping through her veins. She couldn't turn but she knew he was approaching. A dread like nothing she'd ever known veiled her mind.

No escape.

...

Hahaha happy cliffhanger!

So, I wasn't planning to post this chapter untill tomorrow but then someone told me to "please please please update". Tell me, how can I say no to that when I have the whole chapter written already?

So, I decided to update and leave you hanging on the cliffhanger. *insert cold laughing face*

But seriously though, you guys make my day. All your comments are worth doing it all over again. :) Thank you so much. :)

Oh and did anyone else catch the Easter eggs I'm placing so far because right about now, you should've gained enough info from reading between the lines to make solid theories.

Don't worry. When I reveal it, I'll explain it.