CBDQ is down for good. this account will stay up but will not be posting anymore. love you all and thank you for all the support <3

My nightmare started out as something I’d dreamed a million times before: I was being forced to take a standardized test while wearing a straitjacket.

“You’re not getting away from me. Never again.”

The son of Dionysus who’d gone down fighting an enemy half-blood was wrapped in a deep purple shroud embroidered with grapevines. His name was Castor. I was ashamed that I’d seen him around camp for three years and never even bothered to learn his name.

When she smiled at me, just for a moment she looked a little like Annabeth. Then like this television actress I used to have a crush on in fifth grade. Then…well, you get the idea.

“If I’m going to burn,” he said, “I might as well burn bright. This is for Jason.”

When we reached the wreckage we searched frantically, yelling Bianca’s name. We crawled around in the vast hollow pieces and the legs and the head. We searched until the sun started to rise, but no luck.

Reyna’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I killed my own father.”

“You're still my best friend.” He grinned. “Except for Annabeth.” “That's different.” “Yeah,” he agreed. “It sure is.”

He couldn’t leave Bob to die alone. That just wasn’t him—and that was one of the many reasons she loved him, even if he was an Olympian-sized pain in the podex.

They’d been holding hands ever since they dropped into the chasm. Now Percy pulled her close, hugging her tight as they tumbled through absolute darkness.

“If anything happens, give that to Nico. Tell him…tell him I’m sorry.”

“You were like a brother to me, Luke,” she said softly. “But I didn't love you.”

Then Percy let go of his tiny ledge, and together, holding hands, he and Annabeth fell into the endless darkness.

Annabeth didn't look convinced. “Just be careful. I don't want anything to happen to you. I mean, because we need you for the battle.”

From the meadow came a dozen satyrs, who reminded me painfully of Grover.

Rachel nodded. “And so . . . hypothetically, if these two people liked each other, what would it take to get the stupid guy to kiss the girl, huh?”

LOL, NOOB!

“She wanted you to have this.” I brought out the little god figurine Bianca had found in the junkyard. Nico held it in his palm and stared at it.

So what if they were in Tartarus? So what if they stood a slim chance of surviving? He was so glad that they were together, he had the ridiculous urge to smile.