(December 6, 2011 Update: I'm about halfway done with the corrections. That means I can start on my newest PJO trilogy!)

Chapter 6: I Break a Nose or Two

Hermes whisked away my children and not a moment too soon because Hera came gracefully down the hall. She had never been my favorite goddess but I was on her good side; I really didn't want that to change.

"Hello, Elizabeth. How did you know I was coming?" Hera questioned. Her long black braid intertwined with gold strands hung over her shoulder; she looked stunning.

"Hermes told me in my dream. He interrupted a good dream," I lied. I technically wasn't lying, Hermes had told me, just not in my dream.

"I see. May I come in?" I stepped aside and she walked in. I closed the door and turned around, yawning.

"So what do I owe the pleasure to this visit?" I asked. It was eight in the morning. I have never been an early bird. I don't get how people can get up so early.

"I decided to go see Mt. Rushmore with you," She replied. I hadn't really planned on this but I acted like I was happy.

"That's great. When do you want to go?"

"As soon as possible. I will show you it from a different view."

"If you're talking about taking me to stand on the heads, forget it. I'm scared of heights," I told her.

"Don't worry; I will make sure you don't fall," Hera assured. That still didn't reassure me because I am pretty sure that if I fell, it would be because she pushed me. Now, being a goddess, I can't die, but it would still leave an impressive bruise plus it would make me blonder than I already am (if you catch my drift).

"Fine. I swear, if I fall, you will never hear the end of it from me," I promised her, and she believed me. "Let me get my shoes."

I walked to the bathroom and rubbed the winged sandal. Black converse shoes appeared. I whispered "Maia!"

The shoes sprouted tiny wings. I silently thanked Hermes for the charm bracelet. I slipped the shoes on before heading back outside… to find Hera going through my purse.

"Who are they?" Hera asked, pointing to the faces of Logan and Clara.

"Those are my cousin's babies. I was babysitting for them," I lied. "Why are you going through my wallet?"

"I was looking at your pictures. You have a lot of Luke and you together."

"I think I would, seeing as he was my fiancé. He would've been my husband if Kronos hadn't screwed up everything as usual."

"He would've been you're husband?" Hera looked up at me quickly.

I held up my left hand to show the amethyst and diamond engagement ring Luke had given me. "He knew how much I liked amethyst."

"When were you two planning to get married?"

"We didn't know. We just knew that we would always end up together and wanted to make sure that everyone knew it."

"Oh." That was all Hera said on that subject. "We should get going."

We walked out of the hotel that I noticed was unsettlingly deserted. We drove to Mt. Rushmore and Hera then transported me to the top of Mt. Rushmore. The view from up there was incredible. It took me about five minutes before I summoned up the courage to open my eyes. Hera shifted and I got ready to fight.

"You're too jumpy demigod."

"No offense Hera, but seeing as I just fought one of the biggest wars in history, fought Kronos, lost my fiancé, and fought a Chimera in Detroit, I think I have a right to be a bit jumpy. Just saying," I commented.

"You defeated a Chimera?"

"Thanks to my dad passing on his powers to me," I said. I looked up and saw hawks circling the sky. They looked deformed and I wondered if they were okay. Then they started getting closer… and closer…and closer, until I realized they weren't hawks. They were storm spirits.

"Um, Hera, I think we should get going. I think there are some storm spirits above us."

"They won't bother us. Not as long as I'm here." Hera waved her hand. She was right. We stayed up there for hours. We had a really good picnic of roast beef sandwiches and when we were done, Hera waved her hand and the food disappeared.

"That was delicious," I murmured.

"Thank you. Now tell me. How did you and Luke meet?" Hera inquired. I didn't know whether or not I should tell her. I mean sure, she can be trustworthy when it comes to feelings about marriages and fiancé's and whatnot but still, she's a goddess, and I've learned that you can't really trust any gods.

"I can't talk about him, just not yet."

"Do you miss him that much?"

"Yes. You could never understand what Luke and I had. I mean, I trusted Luke. I knew he wouldn't cheat on me, even when other girls hit on him and trust me, I witnessed it myself. It is just that kind of love where you know there is no one else in the world that you could possibly love besides that person, and that's how I felt about Luke," I replied sadly. I held back the tears and the scream forming in my throat. Why did he have to die? Why did Kronos choose him? Why not someone else? Why did he choose Luke? Why? He hadn't deserved it. Then I thought about why Luke had done it. He had told me, and it wasn't just because he hated the gods. Guilt took over me and I started shaking uncontrollably. Hera put her hand on my shoulder and I stopped shaking.

"Are you okay?" She questioned with a hint of worry in her voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Bad memories, that's all." I didn't tell her what the memories were but I didn't lie to her either.

"Well, I must be going. Zeus wants me back. He is so needy sometimes. Take care of yourself Elizabeth." Hera waved goodbye and I turned my head because if I looked, she would find out I was a goddess… and that's not a good thing. I then realized she had left me up here by myself.

"Thanks for taking me down," I muttered. I stood up stretching. The sun was high up in the sky so I figured it was around twelve in the afternoon

"You will pay for what you did to my Chihuahua." I heard a voice say behind me. I whipped around to find Echidna standing ten feet away from me. I swore in my mind and gave her a cold, steely glare.

"Echidna, don't mess with me. I am in a really bad mood," I warned her.

"Oh, but you see, I am in a worse mood," Echidna shot back.

"I highly doubt that," I replied. I had been backing to the edge of the big rock. It didn't occur to me that I was hundreds of feet from my death. The only thing that came to mind was that I was standing on Theodore Roosevelt's head for some odd reason. Echidna lunged at me but I took out Cyclone and swung at her. She dove aside, hissing.

Here's a little information about Cyclone. It is three and a half feet of deadly celestial bronze with a black leather grip, and a blue and green stone at the top of the hilt. If I pressed that, Cyclone would turn into a trident or into two daggers, whichever I preferred. Also, all monsters are terrified of Celestial bronze.

Anyway, I dodged and slashed at Echidna but she had really good endurance. I figured I wouldn't win this fight unless I used my godly powers and I couldn't risk that. Then, a really stupid idea entered my head. It was so stupid, it was brilliant! I backed away to the edge of Theodore Roosevelt's head.

"You were a worthy opponent my dear. I told you though, you would pay." Echidna grinned and I let loose all the feelings I had inside me. The mountain shook and I leaped off the top of Theodore's head. I heard a crack and saw Thomas Jefferson's nose break off… whoops.

"Maia!" I shouted. Wings sprouted from my converse shoes and my decent slowed, but not before I heard another crack. This time, it was me. The shoes didn't slow me down enough and I slammed into Theodore Roosevelt's nose. It broke off and I kept my eyes opened until I landed safely on the ground where I collapsed. My world went black.