Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus.

Acacia was angry.

That was certainly to say the least. With her nose set back into place, the Apollo wing had advised her to wear a nose guard to ensure it wouldn't be broken again. Acacia, who now knew the pain of setting a broken nose back into place, vowed to try not to break it again.

With a sigh, she dragged herself across her room to her door. As the morning sun shined ever so brightly in her eyes from her window, she pulled open her door as footsteps echoed across the hall. A loud yawn escaped the confines of her mouth, and two people sneaking along the hallway stopped her mid-yawn.

"Percy, Annabeth!" she called.

Percy looked back at her and glared, and Acacia noticed most demigods were still asleep. She smacked her face. "Oh, gods, I forgot."

She smiled, but then remembered who was standing next to him. "Annabeth," she acknowledged in a whisper.

Annabeth nodded. "How's your nose?" she asked, straight-faced.

Acacia scowled. "Fine."

A pause filled the air, but Percy cleared his throat. "Um, we gotta get going-"

"Where?"

Percy looked wearily at Annabeth, but she shrugged in reply. "We're going to try and get Annabeth's memories back."

Acacia's heart stopped for a moment, and a vision of her life with only Percy emerged from her mind. Marriage, children… and then, a cruel laugh. "This was to show you what's not going to happen, honey," said a sickly sweet voice.

"Fine, go. I got your back. I'll help you out."

Percy looked surprised, as did Annabeth. "Wait, what?"

"I said I'd help you out. I want Annabeth out as much as the next person, and, if that happens to mean you're going, too, then I think I'll be fine."

Percy grinned. "Thank you, Acacia," he said seriously. "It means a lot."

Annabeth nodded. "I guess I should apologize-"

"Please, no. I don't need to get an apology from the likes of you. I'm doing this for Percy, not you," Acacia sneered.

Percy rolled his eyes, and Annabeth just laughed. "Obviously, you're also doing this for me."

Acacia snapped her fingers. "Oh! I just remembered! I have total control over both of you because I can tell everyone that you're leaving! Oh, everyone will have so much fun looking for their leader, huh?"

Annabeth looked like she wanted to retort, but Percy clamped a hand over her mouth. "Well, thanks, we'll be leaving…"

Percy and Annabeth scurried out of the building, leaving Acacia against the wall of the long, twisting hallway. She put her face into her hands and slid down the wall. It was cruel fate that she had fallen in love with someone taken, Aphrodite's will. With Aphrodite whispering in her ear, the beautiful love goddess had increased her jealousy, given her the absolutely perfect soap opera solution.

And Acacia had listened.

She labeled herself as an idiot, since she knew Aphrodite loved drama and traumatic love stories. In what time was Aphrodite ever not manipulative? Hers and Percy's relationship was zero, zip, nada, nothing. It never was anything. It would never amount to anything.

Angrily, Acacia punched the wall. The concrete started to crumble and Acacia stared uncertainly at the wall. It was covered in a dark, sticky material. Acacia ran her hand along the wall. She pushed her hand through the wall and felt just a sticky material instead of concrete. She pulled her hand back and stared at the blood covering her arm.

"What in Hades-"

Tentacles of blood shot out and grabbed her arms. She screamed, trying to pull herself out of its grasp. It wrapped tightly around her body, sticking her tightly to the wall. Her mouth and nose were forced against the wall and she couldn't breathe. The tentacles suffocated her ribs, crushing until a sickening crunch was heard.

The tentacles let go and her body slumped to the floor, covered in blood. She gingerly touched her chest and stared up at the heavens before her eyes glazed over.

The blood turned back to concrete and a hysterical laugh echoed throughout the building. The sound was loud enough to make certain parts of the building begin to falter. Cracks appeared in the ceiling before concrete blocks fell down on top of Acacia's lifeless body.

Luckily, Percy and Annabeth had gotten out.

Well, guys, here it is: an update!

I am so sorry for the long wait, to whomever is reading this. Hopefully, you like this chapter. And, yes, Acacia was actually killed there. No coming back. Sorry, folks.

I have winter break now, so hopefully I'll be writing a lot more. I hope I update more often for you guys.

-Trident