𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐖𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆, luke castellan

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞

"I don't care about the consequences. I want him dead."

Keira's voice cut through the night air, resolute and unwavering, as she gazed out at the expansive sea. The sound of her words mingled with the rhythmic crashing of the waves, creating a solemn atmosphere on the deserted shore, where she stood alone, the sole occupant of the sandy expanse.

"You're delving into something beyond your comprehension, Blackwell," Ligia's voice echoed from the water.

The siren's dark, imposing form emerged from the depths, her black feathers and claws casting an ominous silhouette against the moonlit waves. With each word, her melodious tone held the power to lure mortals to their demise, yet Keira had long ceased to see Ligia as a threat.

"I don't care where this leads," the blonde asserted, striding closer to the water with her steely gaze fixed on the creature's face. "He took everything from me. I want him dead."

"That doesn't mean you should walk into your own grave," the siren responded, shaking her head.

Keira's frustration bubbled up inside her, evident in the snort that escaped her lips. She shifted her gaze towards the distant horizon where the water melded into the dark expanse of the sky. Internally cursing, she couldn't shake the feeling that Ligia was withholding crucial information.

Why was the siren being so evasive? It certainly wasn't out of concern for Keira's well-being. There had to be someone or something preventing her from divulging the truth. With the vast network of unofficial monster information, it was inconceivable that Ligia didn't have updates on Nik's whereabouts.

Nik had departed Camp Half-Blood the previous year with a singular mission: to seek out and eliminate all forbidden children, offspring of Poseidon or Zeus. Hades, steadfast in his adherence to the Big Three pact, had bestowed upon Nik powers to aid in his quest, driven by a desire for vengeance against his deceitful brothers. Yet, Nik's allegiance had wavered, leading to a betrayal of the God of the Underworld and setting him at odds with Hades as well.

During their pursuit of Nik, Keira, Luke, and Jon had learned that the son of Hephaestus was particularly fixated on Jason Grace, the brother of Thalia, believed to be a son of Zeus. However, following their return from the quest and a visit to Olympus, the gods had disclosed to Keira and Luke that Jason had perished years ago.

Though Thalia's brother lay in the embrace of death, it did little to quell Keira's conviction that more forbidden children still lurked in the shadows. She harbored a steadfast belief that there were many more beyond the Grace siblings, and for the past six months, she had relentlessly pursued any lead that might bring her closer to them.

In reality, Keira had little concern for the safety or welfare of the forbidden children. Her sole focus was on the fact that Nik was also hunting them down. If she could gather information about any of these demigods and follow the leads, inevitably her path would intersect with the killer of her best friend's.

And when she found Nik, she would kill him.

Noticing the persistence in Keira's gray gaze, the siren offered, "Well, there is this powerful kid in Manhattan..."

Keira interrupted her with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Yeah, Poseidon's kid. Spare me the explanations, I've got it under control. And besides, Nik wouldn't dare to attack so close to camp."

"How do you know he's Poseidon's?"

"I've been keeping an eye on him for a while now. Saw him do weird stuff with water," she explained vaguely. Then, her eyes suddenly sparkled mischievously as she smirked. "Chiron's gonna panic when he finds out. The Great Prophecy has been his main concern for seventy years."