[Third Person Pov]
Lucian and Bianca met up with Annabeth and the others as they stepped out from the Big House together, the group naturally falling into formation as they walked. Annabeth had a thoughtful look on her face, her brows slightly furrowed as she turned the prophecy over and over in her mind, clearly trying to piece together its meaning before anyone else could even ask.
"Yo!" Lucian called out casually, lifting a hand in greeting as he approached them. His tone was light, but his eyes were already searching her face. "So what did your prophecy say?"
Annabeth's lips curled into a small, teasing smirk as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "Who knows, maybe I want to keep it a secret and don't want to tell you~"
Lucian didn't react beyond a flat stare. "Are we really doing this right now?"
Annabeth let out a short chuckle, the teasing expression fading as she shook her head. "I'm kidding…" she said, before repeating the prophecy word for word, her tone growing more serious as she spoke.
By the time she finished, Lucian was already looking at her strangely, one brow raised. "Annabeth, just what the hell are you planning to do that'll incur heaven's wrath?"
"I asked her the same thing," Thalia added, stepping forward as she and Bianca shifted positions without much thought. Now she stood beside Lucian while Bianca moved to Annabeth's side. "It doesn't exactly sound worth it, if you ask me."
Annabeth shrugged slightly, though there was a confident edge to it. "I don't know yet, but I'll let you know when I do."
Lucian studied her for a moment, his gaze sharpening as he tried to gauge how serious she really was. "Are you sure you're ready to make an enemy out of the seven levels of heaven? Things could get pretty dicey if you're not careful."
Annabeth shifted her stance, placing a hand on her hip as she met his gaze head-on. "Lucian, do you really think I'm so weak-willed that making an enemy out of Angels would be enough to scare me? If I was that easy to intimidate, do you think I would've chosen to stand beside you and whatever crazy goals you decide to chase?"
Lucian held her stare for a second longer before giving a small shrug. "Fair. I just wanted to see if you were really up to it. I won't push it any further. You're smart enough not to get yourself into anything overly dangerous… and if you do, you're smart enough to get yourself out of it."
Annabeth smiled at that, clearly appreciating the confidence he had in her. She leaned over without much hesitation, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek before pulling back. "Thanks."
"Yeah, yeah…" Lucian waved her off lightly, though there was no real annoyance behind it. "Just make sure to keep those two safe already."
"Who do you think you're talking about?" Nico cut in, summoning his saber and resting it across his shoulders with an easy motion. "We're the ones acting like the bodyguards here."
He puffed out his chest, knocking his fist against it with exaggerated confidence. "Don't worry, bro, I'll keep your girl safe for you. Leave it to me."
Lucian raised a brow, clearly amused, and reached over to ruffle Nico's hair without any resistance. "Sure thing. I'll leave Annabeth's protection in your capable hands then."
Nico lit up immediately, a wide grin spreading across his face as he took the words completely seriously. He nodded eagerly, straightening up as if he had just been given an official mission, his expression shifting into something overly determined.
"I'm counting on you four as well," Lucian added, glancing toward Annabeth's spirits.
They all responded at once, each in their own tone but with the same meaning, snapping into mock salutes. "Leave it to us, Father!"
"We already have everything packed, so we should get going," Annabeth said, patting the pouch at her side as if to emphasize the point.
"Wait," Lucian said, stopping them just before they could move out.
He brought two fingers to his mouth and let out a sharp whistle. Almost immediately, the shadows nearby seemed to stir, stretching unnaturally before three large shadow hellhounds emerged from them, their forms solidifying as they padded forward toward the group.
"These three are the biggest hellhounds in my collection," Lucian said, gesturing toward them. "You can use them for your ride."
"Woah!!" Nico exclaimed, immediately drawn to one of them as he moved closer without hesitation. He crouched slightly, already reaching out. "Oh, can I name him? I'm going to name him… I'll call you Kiko!"
"Kiko?" Bianca let out a snort, clearly amused by the choice.
"Yeah," Nico said, completely serious as he buried his face into the shadow-laced fur, already claiming the creature as his own. "Because it rhymes with Nico… and now he belongs to me."
They each climbed onto the backs of their hellhounds, settling in as the creatures shifted beneath them before taking off at a steady pace. The group rode together toward the entrance of the camp, the familiar path stretching out ahead of them as the moment of departure crept closer. When they finally reached the boundary, they slowed to a stop, exchanging a few last words and brief farewells before there was nothing left to do but leave.
Lucian stood there for a moment longer than necessary, watching as they rode off into the distance, their figures gradually shrinking until they were little more than silhouettes. Only when they were nearly out of sight did he turn away, Thalia already lingering nearby as if she had been waiting for that exact moment.
She nudged him lightly with her shoulder, a teasing smile playing at her lips. "You're so overprotective, you know that."
Lucian glanced at her, feigning confusion. "Hm? What do you mean? I just gave them a hellhound to ride. How's that being overprotective?" he scoffed, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
Thalia rolled her eyes, unimpressed. "You think I didn't feel their power? Those things were strengthened beforehand."
Lucian pressed his lips together, looking off to the side rather than responding directly. "Just go get ready and leave me alone."
Thalia laughed under her breath, clearly satisfied with that reaction, and turned to head toward her cabin. Lucian went his own way as well, both of them preparing separately.
When they met up again, there was a noticeable shift. The two of them were dressed far more fashionably than usual, both wearing matching black outfits that gave them a more put-together, intentional look without being overly flashy.
Thalia glanced at him as they started walking side by side, letting out a small chuckle. "You're probably the first person to ever think of having a date in a church."
"I doubt it," Lucian replied with a casual roll of his eyes. "There are some weird people in this world. I wouldn't be surprised if someone's done it before."
Thalia shrugged, conceding the point without much argument. "Yeah… fair enough."
Without another word, Lucian extended his shadows around them, the darkness curling up and wrapping around their bodies until they vanished completely, leaving behind only a faint trace of black that quickly dissipated.
The next moment, Lucian and Thalia were walking through Midtown Manhattan, side by side with their hands loosely intertwined. Towering buildings surrounded them, the city alive with movement and noise, but their destination stood out clearly ahead of them. The massive structure of New York Public Library rose in front of them, its presence impossible to ignore as the second largest library in the United States.
Thalia's grin widened as they started up the steps. "Annabeth is going to be pissed she passed this up."
Lucian let out a short laugh as they entered. "Yeah, she definitely would be."
Inside, the atmosphere shifted to something quieter, more contained. Rows upon rows of towering bookshelves stretched out in every direction, filled to the brim. People moved between sections with books in hand, some browsing, others already seated and reading in focused silence.
Thalia glanced around before looking back at Lucian, noticing the way his eyes moved from section to section. "What exactly are you looking for?"
Lucian didn't answer right away. Instead, he slowed to a stop and tilted his head slightly, motioning upward toward one of the nearby aisles.
Thalia followed his gaze and quickly spotted the librarian he was indicating. She was pushing a cart stacked with books, her appearance standing out immediately. Tattoos and piercings covered much of her visible skin, but the most noticeable detail was the marking along her neck—a black sun.
Lucian walked over casually, lifting a hand to get her attention. "Excuse me, I need a bit of help looking for a book."
"Hm?" The librarian turned toward him, her eyes briefly scanning both him and Thalia before she tilted her head. "What kind of book are you looking for?" she asked, her tone professional despite her appearance.
"I'm looking for a book that contradicts itself," Lucian replied calmly.
She raised a brow, though her tone didn't change. "Fiction or non-fiction?"
"Both, or neither. It depends on who reads it," Lucian answered, a faint hint of a smirk forming.
"Pht—"
Both Lucian and the librarian turned at the sound. Thalia had her hand clamped over her mouth, her head turned to the side as her shoulders shook.
"I'm… I'm sorry," she managed, holding up a hand as she struggled to breathe through her laughter. "D-Don't mind me… continue."
Lucian's embarrassment was immediate and obvious, while the librarian simply let out a small chuckle, clearly unbothered. "Yeah, it's a little corny, I won't lie… but what works, works."
She turned and began pushing her cart again, gesturing for them to follow with a flick of her hand. "Anyways, come on. Follow me."
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