Chapter 8:

Annabeth POV:

"Annabeth…." I felt Percy's hand on my shoulder, but I twisted away. I was sick of putting up a strong facade-the one that most people saw. No one knew exactly how much pain I had gone through.

It had been the last straw when I was betrothed to Luke Castellan-the son of King Hermes of a nearby kingdom -when I was seven. Seven! Even worse, my younger brother, Bobby, was betrothed to Calypso Ogygia, a daughter of a rich noble, when he was only five.

Calypso and Luke...why did I always get the feeling that they were still alive? Did they have anything to do with Rachel or Dylan? The realization hit me suddenly. I started crying harder. I was so stupid not to realize it earlier. "Athena Minerva," I whispered, not wanting to call her my mother. It brought back too much, "Queen of Maplecoast, I'm sorry I let you down."

Little did I know, that started a lot of things. Like the hologram of my mom standing in front of me.

Percy POV:

"Ow," I muttered as my broken fist hit the ground. I should have been screaming in pain, but I suddenly realized where I was. "Wait, is this..." I hesitated. "The palace of Maplecoast?"

Thalia observed the ruins. "Yeah...I think so." Glaring at Nico, she accused, "Why did you bring us here?"

Nico was already out cold, lying on the ground snoring.

"Well, I guess he was kind of in a rush." I reasoned.

"Finally, Kelp Head makes sense!" Thalia exclaimed. "Quick, call the news reporters!"

"Oh, shut up Pinecone Face," I grumbled before I realized that Annabeth was on the ground, crying hard.

I walked over to her cautiously, not wanting to startle her. Placing my hand on her shoulder, I started, "Annabeth…" She twisted away from my hand, seeming to cry harder.

She whispered something that I couldn't quite make out. I only caught a few words, like 'Athena Minerva'. Before I could think about it and wonder who it was, a hologram of a strange woman appeared in front of Annabeth.

"Annabeth…" She started just like me.

Annabeth raised her head to look at the woman, her eyes red from crying. The woman continued, "I see you've finally figured it out."

Annabeth looked confused for a moment, before realization dawned her eyes. "I'm sorry...the owl fell out when I ran away. I just found it now." I could see that she was struggling not to cry again. My head was spinning. What was happening, and why did Annabeth seem to know the mysterious woman?

"You know that I can only appear if you call me, I presume?"

Annabeth nodded, and the woman turned towards me, her expression hardening. "I suggest you stay away from my daughter."

"Your...daughter?" I looked at Annabeth, then back at the woman. They bore a striking resemblance, with the honey blonde hair and piercing grey eyes.

"Mom…" Annabeth protested. "I understand that you hold a grudge against his father, but he's nice to me."

"I know what's best, Annabeth. Stay away from that sea spawn."

I spluttered. "Sea spawn?" I knew that my father ruled the oceans and seas, and had power over water (that I had inherited), but calling me sea spawn?

"Yes. Now, just stay away from my daughter and everything will work out fine."

"And if I don't?" I challenged her.

She glared at me. "There will be consequences."

"Mom, so what do I do about Calypso and Luke?" Annabeth managed to change the subject of the conversation. Who and who? I thought.

"Stay here, rest for a week. It will be a while before Nico is strong enough to make the trip back to the palace. Remember, names have power. That's all I am going to say." With that, she disappeared.

Thalia had seen the whole thing. Turning to Annabeth, she looked expectantly at her.

Annabeth sighed, getting the message. "I guess I'm going to have to explain."

"Yeah. A lot," Thalia replied.

Annabeth POV:

"Annabeth…" My mother started.

I raised her head to look at my mom. She continued, "I see you've finally figured it out."

I was confused for a moment, before I realized what she was talking about. Names have power. I remember that the phrase was engraved into the base of the owl. I had called my mother using her name and title, while holding the owl, and she had appeared. "I'm sorry...the owl fell out when I ran away. I just found it now." I was struggling not to let the tears spill out again.

"You know that I can only appear if you call me, I presume?" Mom said to me.

I nodded, and my mom turned towards Percy, her expression hardening. "I suggest you stay away from my daughter."

"Your...daughter?" Percy looked at me, then back at my mother. I saw realization dawn his eyes.

"Mom…" I protested. "I understand that you hold a grudge against his father, but he's nice to me." Understatement of the year. A grudge? More like I'm-going-to-kill-you- on-sight.

"I know what's best, Annabeth. Stay away from that sea spawn."

Percy spluttered, "Sea spawn?"

"Yes. Now, just stay away from my daughter and everything will work out fine."

"And if I don't?" Percy challenged her, glaring at my mom.

She glared back at him. "There will be consequences."

"Mom, so what do I do about Calypso and Luke?" I managed to change the subject of the conversation, before the two got into a serious fight.

"Stay here, rest for a week. It will be a while before Nico is strong enough to make the trip back to the palace. Remember, names have power. That's all I am going to say." With that, my mother disappeared. I had wanted to ask her where she was now, but I didn't want to annoy her. Believe me; if you've seen my mom annoyed...you wouldn't want to know.

Thalia had seen the whole thing, and she looked expectantly at me.

I sighed, getting the message. "I guess I'm going to have to explain."

"Yeah. A lot," Thalia replied.

"So, where should I start?" I asked.

"From the very beginning," Thalia said.