Ch. 1

Ten year old "Grey" Jackson waved to his parents from the window of their New York apartment, watching a young adult pair of Annabeth and Percy walking towards their car. His parents had gotten an emergency Iris message from Jason, saying he needed their help with something. Grey knew all about the world his parents came from. The giant black dog that came by every once in a while was a dead giveaway, for starters. His parents never tried to hide anything from him, which was terrifying sometimes.

"Okay Nemo," his babysitter said. Sally Jackson had been called in for support to watch Grey, who cringed when he heard his real name. Annabeth and Percy had made a bet on a football game to see who would name their kid. Grey didn't need to be told who won the bet. "Time for bed." She patted his jet black hair, which almost fell into his grey eyes.

"Fine," Grey grumbled. He trudged into his bedroom and put on his owl covered pajamas. Sometimes he worried whether his parents were a bit too obsessed with their godly parents attributes. Sally Jackson wished him goodnight, then flicked off his light. As soon as Grey followed asleep, he was woken back up again by a strange noise coming from the living room. Padding his way towards the living room, he saw his grandmother sitting at the table, phone in hand, eyes dripping tears. The strange noise Grey had heard must have been her sobbing.

"Grandma? What's wrong?" he asked, grabbing her hand. Sally wiped her eyes, but immediately fresh tears filled in. "Are mom and dad okay? Grandma, you're scaring me."

"Chiron called," Sally said, her voice quivering. "Mortals found your parents car, abandoned on the side of the road. He sent his best trackers out, but they lost the trail. Grey, I'm so sorry." Sally tried to hug him, but Grey stumbled backwards. Her words had been like punches to his gut. He felt like the room was spinning, and that he was about to be sick. Grey didn't know what to do. Cry? Throw up? Break something? He decided to run, straight out the window and onto the fire escape. There he breaks down, crying. How could his parents be gone? They had been so close to death, but they had always escaped. His parents were part god, they were the strongest people he knew.

A humming sound caught Grey's attention. He wasn't alone on the fire escape. Sitting on the stairs leading upwards, was a girl, a few years older than him. She had red hair held back by a silver circlet with a moon on it. She was wearing a glimmering winter jacket with matching boots.

"Who are you?" Grey asked, wiping his tears. He probably should have ran away, yelling for his grandma, but this girl didn't seem like she wanted to hurt him.

"Hello Nemo Beckendorf Jackson. Although from what I hear you prefer the name Grey. Can't say I blame you," the girl said, ignoring his question. "Your parents aren't dead, but they are missing, even from the eyes of a god."

"Who are you, and how do you know about my parents?" Grey asked again. He balled up his fists and gave the girl the meanest look he could.

"You have spirit Grey. I'm surprised you haven't figured out who I am yet, given who your mother is. Then again, Perseus Jackson is your father. Whatever the case, I am Artemis, goddess of the hunt." Grey just stared at the goddess, unsurprised. This wasn't the first god he had ever met, and he wasn't about to bow down and pray. He was defiant too, something his mom said he got from his dad.

"So what? You said you can't see them. What good are you?" Artemis sighed.

"You could come with me. I've been watching you, and you have the potential to be a great hunter."

"I know all about you and your huntresses. You only let girls hunt with you. Why would you take me?" Grey asked. His bed time stories had been his parent's quests, so he had heard about their experience with the goddess. He had even met Thalia, who still looked like a teenager, even though she should have been older than his parents.

"That is not completely true. I once did invite a man to join my hunt. It ended, badly, but I owe your father a great debt. It won't be forever either. If you were a full hunter, I would be stealing you from your parents, which I cannot do with a clean conscious. Hunt with me for a few years, and when you're old enough, and strong enough, you may be the only one who can find your parents. What do you say Grey? Will you join me?" Artemis held out her hand, which was heavily calloused. Grey hesitated taking it, which the goddess must have seen. "Go talk to your grandmother. Tell her what I just told you. If she counsels you against joining me, I will leave. If she agrees with me, though, I trust you will make the right decision." Figuring that his grandma, the same woman who made him blue food whenever he wanted, would know what to do, he ducked back inside the apartment.

"Um, grandma?" He told her about what Artemis had said. Sally sat in her chair, still holding the phone, listening to her small, grey eyed grandson. When he finished his story, the woman sat in her chair, staring out the window he had come in through. Finally, she put the phone down.

"I think you should go," Sally said.

"What do you mean?!" Grey cried out. "I'm ten years old. How do you, how does she, expect me to be a hunter?"

"Your mother ran away from home when she was younger than you, and survived. Your father went on his first quest to the underworld when he was just a couple years older," Sally said, holding Grey by his shoulders. "Do you know what your parents were talking about just before they left? They were thinking about sending you to one of the Camps." Grey hadn't known about that. His dad had always said that they would send him off when they thought he was ready. Grey had always thought that would be when he was at least fourteen. His mom had only just begun to show him the basics of knife fighting. "Grey, Go. I won't give up looking for your parents, my son. But you need this. They need this." He was about to debate more, but he knew she was right. "It's not polite to keep a goddess waiting Grey," Sally said, kissing her grandson's forehead.

"Don't forget to feed Mrs. O'Leary. She only likes raw hamburger meat, not cooked," Grey said. His grandmother smiled and waved as he stepped through the window. The goddess was still there, waiting for him. "Alright. I'll go, but on one condition. When the time comes, I get to leave and find my parents." Artemis smiled.

"It's a deal, Grey Jackson." She snapped her fingers and his pajamas changed into an outfit similar to hers, but instead of silver, his jacket and boots where the same shade of grey as his eyes. "Welcome to the hunt.