[ she nods when he mentions his trick-arrows, already liking the way his plan of attack is already shifting. what gets to her is that she doesn't know for sure. for all the information they have, killing a mirror could lock them over on the other side, could kill the real one. she just doesn't want to take chances when percy is over there. ]

From what I can tell, I just think the QUeen wants the sword. I don't think she's thought it through to the point of how we'll react to the mirrors. Killing them could bring them back, but at the same time, it could trap them over there.

[ her fingers go through her hair, then. curls tangling and getting all over the place and she just ends up having to shake them out. ]

Our best bet is to find the sword first, avoid the mirrors second. If you see any of them trying to start anything, or doing anything [ does the 'bad' need to be said? ] we can lock them up, but I don't think trying to take them all out will be worth our time.

[ annabeth recognizes the look on frank's face before he even starts talking, but doesn't react to it. she remembers how he looked when he stepped into her room with the finger trap, and sees it even now despite the different circumstances. the different scenario. ]

It's not. You're good at a whole lot more than just what your dad gave you. [ too much seriousness in this tone? probably. but it's a message he needs to hear, just like she needed to hear it not that long ago. ] Just because certain things don't play to your strengths don't make you useless, Frank.

[ she gives him a small smile. ]

The riddle thing is my strength and I still haven't figured it out, so don't blame yourself for that. And besides- I need you here if they start getting restless. Or if an actual battle breaks out.

[ she nods. while self confidence issues were an almost opposite problem than what annabeth tends to have, she can understand how hard habits are to break. especially when they've been a part of you for so long. ]

If the mirrors get the sword, then the Queen on the other side gets the sword. If she has it, there's no way for us to get a hold of it to put the two together and fulfill Rachel's prophecy.

[ thus: the problem. ]

Distracting the mirrors isn't too bad of an idea, though. Do you think we could get all of them in one place?

[ that certainly would make their lives easier. as much as annabeth might enjoy a good riddle, she prefers things with concrete answers. time to figure it out and move forward. not 'well maybe this maybe that'. ]

I don't know her, but that could work. Would she be able to do that?

If we can find a way to make sure her magic won't run out, or it won't do too much damage to her, I can figure out the mirrors.

[ she hopes. ]

Give me some time.

Nico will be different too.

[ she bites her lip, thinking about how her stomach hasn't quite settled. how nothing has settled since this started, since the riddle. ]

I need to check in with Rachel and Percy, but be on the look-out.