All Is Fair In Love And Friends

Jasmine looked up from her eggs and waffles on her plate. She looked over at the Poseidon table, where Lucas was sitting.

Lucas looked uneasy, really uneasy.

He picked at his pancakes and cheese (who the heck eats that?) and occasionally sipped his milk. His hands were constantly doing something, tapping the table, running a few fingers through his hair, fiddling with his fork, and his leg was pumping up and down.

In other words, he looked like Uncle Leo.

Jasmine frowned. What was wrong with him?

Lucas looked up from his plate and gazed at Jasmine, his chocolate brown eyes were pleading. Jasmine quirked an eyebrow. "Are you okay?" She mouthed.

Lucas shook his head.

"What's wrong?"

"I realized something, this morning."

Jasmine's thoughts immediately went to Riley. She knew that Riley whispered to Lucas every morning at dawn. Lucas had told her himself.

Lucas mouthed back to Jasmine, "Meet me by the docks after dinner, it includes you too."

Jasmine nodded and continued her breakfast, but her eyes would stray towards Lucas every now and again.

What was wrong with him?

*time skip - after dinner*

Jasmine went down to the docks. She caught Lucas leaning against a pole as he kicked at the water. As she got closer, she saw tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Lucas? You okay?" She asked quietly.

Lucas didn't answer.

"Lucas?" She asked again.

Still he didn't answer.

"Lucas, you can tell me-" Jasmine was cut off.

"I miss her, Jazz." He whispered.

"Me too." Jasmine bit her lip as she felt her eyes well up with tears.

"I feel so...empty. Ya know? I mean, I only knew her for a few months...but I felt a connection to Riley. When she talks to me in the morning...I feel so bittersweet. I love hearing her voice, but it also reminds me that she's not here. And I hate it! I hate it so much." Lucas continued, his voice raw.

"She was my best friend." Jasmine agreed.

"That's the thing though...Riley's alive." Lucas told her.

"What? How? You just told me-"

"She told me to come and find her, Jasmine. She told me...to look for her...beneath the empire.." Lucas answered.

And then it hit her. The lines of the Prophecy.

"The Hammer and Fore Seeker shall pave the trail...." Jasmine mumbled.

Lucas nodded, "Yeah. Me and you...we're destined to find her."

Jasmine felt queasy. "What did she mean...beneath the empire?"

Lucas shrugged and stared at the smooth surface of the lake. "I feel like I know, but I don't want to say it."

Jasmine stared at him intently. "What is it, Lucas? Tell me."

Lucas sighed. "You know the quest that Aunt Annabeth had to take during the Second Giant War? Following the Mark of Athena?"

Jasmine nodded. "What about it?"

"It lead her under Rome, right?" He continued.

Jasmine nodded again, "Where are you going with this, Lucas?"

"Rome was the strongest empire. When you think of an empire, usually people think of Rome. Put the pieces together, Jazz." He said.

Jasmine felt her skin pale. "She's under Rome." she whispered.

Lucas nodded.

"Why?"

Lucas looked at her. His eyes showed nothing but raw misery and grief. "She's looking for Blackfyre Eden."

"What is- Oh." Jasmine recognized the name.

Blackfyre Eden will be the bane,
When the chance of no war shall wane.

"I don't want the same thing that happened to her parents, tohappen to Riley." Lucas whispered.

"Me neither....but...what is Blackfyre Eden?" Jasmine asked.

Lucas shrugged. "I'm guessing it's either a weapon or a person, but I doubt a person who's still alive is going to be under Rome."

Jasmine nodded in agreement. "So...we have to fine Riley under Rome."

"There's a catch," Lucas said.

"Well?" Jasmine asked, brushing her curly black hair out of her eyes.

"Riley told me to look for her when the time is right. And I don't know when it's going to be time. We don't even know if she's in Rome right now." Lucas admitted.

Jasmine sighed. "I'm scared, Lucas."

"Me too." Lucas answered.

"If Riley were here, she'd know what to do."

"Which is why we have to find her." Lucas told her.

"Yeah..." Jasmine trailed off. She stared at the reflection of the moon on the sparkling water.

"I'm going to bed...good night Jasmine." Lucas got up. He patted her shoulder.

"G'night, Luke." She whispered.

Jasmine sat quietly and listened to the owls hooting in the woods. "I'm going to find you, Riley. I swear it on the River Styx." She said into the wind.

Notes