“You know…” She brushed her hair behind her ear, like she does when she’s nervous. “This whole thing with Beckendorf and Silena. It kind of makes you think. About…what’s important. About losing people who are important.” I nodded. My brain started seizing on little random details, like the fact that she was still wearing those silver owl earrings from her dad, who was this brainiac military history professor in San Francisco. “Um, yeah,” I stammered. “Like…is everything cool with your family?” Okay, really stupid question, but hey, I was nervous. Annabeth looked disappointed, but she nodded.
