- Meg's Pov -
Apollo was dying at my feet.
Python had bitten him, just before he disintegrated.
As deadly and poisonous as Python's breath was, his actual venom was way worse.
I watched Apollo's eyes turn glassy. I stood there, numb. I should have known this would happen. The last person I looked up to was my Dad. He'd been murdered, because I had angered the Beast.
Now it was happening again.
"APOLLO!" I screamed. "I ORDER YOU TO STAY ALIVE. YOU HAVE TO LIVE! You have to! Y-you have to..."
I collapsed, sobbing on the ground. Apollo was dead.
My friend — no — my brother was dead.
Even as I cried, though, something niggled at the back of my mind. "Stay strong," it said. It sounded weirdly like Apollo.
I almost laughed. Even when he was dead, Apollo was trying to support me.
The voice was right. I could grieve after I'd told everyone what had happened.
I dried my tears on my green dress, and got up, preparing to head for the exit and get some help. I couldn't carry Apollo's body by myself.
A white flash illuminated my vision, blinding me. When it cleared, I was standing in a huge room, full of twenty-foot-tall giants sitting on thrones. Some weird cow thing was swimming in a bubble of water. It looked like someone had taken the front half of a cow and fused it with a sea serpent. With a pang, I remembered how I'd asked Apollo for some baby cows. I severed that line of thought. I couldn't afford to break down now, in this unknown place.
More flashes of light illuminated the hall, and all of mine and Apollo's friends from Camp Jupiter, Camp Half-Blood, and the Hunters were transported into this room. They'd all been fighting with us, taking on the Triumvirate's forces while Apollo and I confronted Python.
Everyone I knew appeared to be alright, at least. I doubted that we'd gotten by without ANY casualties — except for Apollo — but at least our friends were safe.
They all appeared to be confused, but none of our friends looked like they were getting ready to fight. Good. These giant people probably weren't threats, then.
The giant in the center throne stood up. The air became electrified. The way he was glowering seemed very familiar.
"Apollo is dead," he announced.
Some of the giants looked resigned, like they already knew this. Others seemed indifferent. A few looked devastated. A small, strangled sound came from a girl giant, who looked about the same age as me. Tears ran down her face as she glowed silver.
I knew who she was. That was Artemis, Apollo's twin sister. I didn't know how I knew, just that I did.
I felt a strange longing, looking at her. I didn't like to see her cry.
"MEG MCCAFFREY," Zeus bellowed, snapping my focus back to him. "Apollo died under YOUR watch. You didn't protect him. He is GONE. Even his essence has been destroyed. You will pay the price for his destruction."
A surge of anger and guilt welled up inside me. I'd failed to protect Apollo. Zeus was right. It was my fault. Again.
It's not your fault, how DARE he blame you for it! A voice echoed in my head. He was the one who forbade the gods from giving help! Don't listen to him, Meg.
I snapped out of it. Those didn't sound like my thoughts...
Thunder rumbled. Everyone tensed. My friends looked ready to hurl themselves forwards to fight Zeus.
"Look. At. Me." Zeus growled.
And I looked.
I saw something familiar.
Something I had seen many times before.
Something I hoped to never see again.
I saw The Beast.
But not my Beast.
Apollo's Beast.
I glared back at Zeus defiantly, and started to yell, ignoring the small voice in my head telling me not to anger him, "YOU were the one who threw him in an alley. YOU were the one who took away his powers and his immortality. It's because of YOU that Apollo's memories were fading, YOU were the one who forbade the gods from helping us. Don't blame other people for what YOU caused, just to save your own butt!"
His eyes flashed. I knew that I'd unleashed the Beast's anger, but I was DONE with being afraid.
The Greeks, Romans, and Hunters surged forwards - whether to knock me out of the way, or intercept the lightning themselves, I wasn't sure - but it was too late. The lightning ripped through me, causing agony like I had never known before - except that at the same time, a part of me found it very, very familiar.
And then it was over.
