"Sorry," interrupted Sadie. "I mean I'm all for the rude nicknames shouting and yelling at stupid people but who exactly is the lady? I mean as soon as we find out who the two headed bloke is we get another person in the way?"

"She's a goddess," Carter said. "I would say Isis but she's not."

"Definitley the same attitude though," Apollo commented.

"What?"

Apollo snorted. "It's the type. Matriachrial goddess, queen of heavens with lots of magic. Tend to be haughty, think they're making the best decisions and everything else."

"Happy I wasn't possessed by Isis now," Percy muttered.

"Yeah," Sadie grimaced. "It's not always very pleasant."

The woman demanded to know if Janus was causing more trouble. Janus stammered no, but his left face yelled yes. His right face yelled at him to shut up. Indignant the woman asked excuse me and Janus yelped he had been talking to himself. The lady said she knew the visit from Janus was premature. Annabeth's time to decide hadn't come yet. She gave Janus a choice, leave Hera with the heroes or she'd turn him into a door and break him down. The left face asked what type of door and the right side yelled for him to shut up as the left side continued that French doors were nice with their natural light. The woman said she'd remember that.

"She doesn't seem that bad," Blitz commented. "Better than some of the gods I've met."

"Yeah," Percy shrugged. "Well this is just the beginning. She just keeps getting worse. As I said, she seems nice for now but later no one's going to be vouching for her."

The right face yelled for the left to shut up again. Then he said he didn't mean Hera, he'd leave now. He was only having fun doing his job. Offering choices. The woman corrected he was causing indecision and demanded he leave. The left face muttered she was a party pooper and turned his key in the air and disappeared.

"What's with all the dramatics?" Percy asked. "I mean couldn't he have just vanished without the whole key thing?"

"Dramatics just make it more fun," Apollo said. "Duh!"

Percy gave him an annoyed look but let it go quickly turning back to the projected image in front of him.

The woman turned toward them and smiled saying they had to be hungry, they should sit and talk. With a wave of her hand the fountain started and a table with food and lemonade appeared. Percy asked who she was. She said in a stately voice she was Hera, Queen of the gods.

"Definitely reminded of Isis," Walt muttered, or Anubis did. It wasn't very clear.

"Why are the Greek gods so much nicer than ours?" Sadie complained to her magician friends.

Carter winced seeing Walt look down. Sadie's eyes widened and she turned to him gripping him. "Oh, not you Walt dear. I mean…"

"It's fine Sadie," Walt smiled. "I know what you mean."

She leaned into him smiling.

"Our gods aren't really that nice though," pointed out Frank. "Definitely not the roman ones."

"Or the Greeks," Piper agreed ignoring Apollo's shocked and irritated gasps.

Percy shook his head. "It's not as simple as that. Trust me. Some of our gods seem a lot nicer. But the Greek, Roman and I guess norse gods are a lot more part of our world than the Egyptians. They need an anchor. Something to host them. The Greek and Norse gods have some kids, they actually care a little. But all gods have their own motives and that's just the way gods work. And from what you've told us you have just as many nice gods as we do. Bast, Bes and Tawaret, right?"

Carter nodded. "Not all of your gods have seemed very nice. Like you said. Motive. It's to get what they want."

"Hey!" Apollo protested.

"No," Walt nodded. "He's right. The gods are… a good word would be difficult."

Hera served them all sandwhiches and poured lemonade and sat as they ate. She looked as they ate chiding Grover for eating his napkin and telling him to use it properly. He said yes calling her ma'am, just as Tyson called her nice lady when he said yes to her telling him to eat another sandwhich before he wasted away.

"See?" Sadie said. "She sounds like Bast when she's doting on us."

"Bast still thinks the world revolves around her though," Carter rolled his eyes. "Just stop and watch Sadie."

Annabeth said she couldn't believe Hera was in the labyrinth and asked why she was there. Hera flicked a finger smiling as Annabeth was instantly cleaned up. She said she was here to see them. Grover and Percy exchanged nervous looks.

Around the room other people exchanged nervous looks too. If a god came to see people it was usually for a reason. Most likely not a benevolent one.

Annabeth stuttered she didn't think Hera liked heroes. Hera said that was because of her spat with Hercules and the one fight gave her a lot of bad press. Annabeth said she thought Hera had tried to kill him several times. Hera said it was water under the bridge and he was her husband's child with a different woman. But Zeus and her had done marriage counseling since then, especially after that last incident.

"Is that all Jason and I are?" Thalia spat. "Incidents?"

Jason put his hand on her arm. "Thalia, take a breath."

"No. Not when I'm just an incident."

"That's just the queen of the cows opinion," Annabeth told her. "Not any one else's."

"Queen of cows literally and figuratively," Piper said to Leo who snickered.

Percy guessed Hera meant when Thalia was born. Hera turned to him coldly saying his name and stating he was one of Poseidon's children. Though she paused for a while before saying children making it seem she didn't think Percy was legitimate. She said she had voted for him to live last winter. She hoped it was the correct vote.

"I get why she hates Zeus's kids. He cheated on her. Though it's not the kids fault. But why does she hate you? You haven't done anything," Jaz asked Percy.

"She's the goddess of marriage. She hate's any kids born out of wedlock and with cheating," Will answered for him. "Which includes most demigods."

"Even though it's not our faults for beign born. As we've had to tell the gods over and over again," Percy grumbled.

Hera told Annabeth she wasn't mad at her. She understood how hard this quest would be. Especially when there were trouble makers like Janus there. Annabeth asked why Janus was there driving him crazy. Hera corrected he was trying to. They had to understand Janus and the minor gods had always been frustrated by their small roles and didn't love Olympus because of it. They could be easily swayed to support her father. Percy asked who her father was before blowing it off because he'd remembered.

"Let me guess," Carter said. "She's one of the eldest gods. Zeus, Poseidon and Hades' sister?"

"Demeter and Hestia as well," Annabeth nodded. "I saw the relationship between that and your stories about Isis, Horus, Osiris, Set and Nephthys when I did some research too."

"You two can geek out over your research again later," Percy said. "Let's just finish this. I want dinner. And to finish for the night."

"Yeah," Thalia agreed. "The sooner I can no longer see the Queen B****'s face and stuff my own with a burger the happier I'll be."

"One question, what does a minor god mean? They're all gods," Jaz asked.

"The twelve Olympians are the main gods. Them and Hades. Then there are the smaller gods in charge of their own domains, ones people haven't heard of as much. Like in Egypt you'd have your own village gods as well as all the other ones. They aren't as powerful," Annabeth explained.

Hera continued they had to watch the minor gods like Janus, Hecate and Morpheus. She explained they serviced Olympus and was about to add something else but Percy interrupted saying that's where Mr. D had gone. To check on the minor gods. Hera agreed saying the gods could even lose faith in times of trouble putting their trust in the wrong things starting to be selfish instead of looking at the big picture. But as the goddess of marriage she was used to perseverance and rising above squabbling and chaos to keep believing. They had to keep their goals in mind.

"Wait, did she just say that the gods aren't selfish? Or they start to be?" Nico seemed amused though it was hard to tell when his face was showing no expression. "I mean they always were. And as for rising above the squabbling and chaos, this is Hera talking, right?"

"She's a jerk and hypocrite," Alex said. "We get it."

"No. You really don't," Thalia muttered darkly looking between Jason and Percy. Annabeth caught her gaze and growled in agreement with clenched fists as Percy and Jason exchanged looks.

Annabeth asked what her goals were suspiciously but Hera just smiled saying it was to keep the Olympian family together. She said the best way to do that was by helping their quest though Zeus didn't allow her to interfere often but once every century or so she can grant a wish for a quest she really cares about.

"Zeus barely lets here?"

"Once every century or so?"

"A quest she deeply cares about?"

"A wish?"

All of the seven and several others from the Greeks and Romans started to shout. Percy looked at Annabeth both of them in agreement. "She didn't have permission from Zeus for any of that. And the whole wish thing? Not true. She definitely cared more about the other quest than this one. After all she'd planned the other one years in advance."

"So same as always," Leo said when Annabeth finished. "Don't trust anything crazy Tia says."

"Aunt?" A very confused Alex asked Leo.

"Yeah. Not explaining that now. You shall see that at another time."

Annabeth repeated that last part confused. Hera said before she chose she wished she'd give her her advice which was free. She knew they were looking for Daedalus but his labyrinth was a mystery to the gods as well. But Hephaestus could tell them something if they visited him at his forge. Hephaestus admired Dedalus and kept up with him and maybe able to say what happened to him.

Annabeth frowned. Hephaestus hadn't been able to say what Daedalus's fate was. But somehow Percy's dreams were telling him things about Daedalus that none of the gods had known. She kept silence but Percy had seen the look on her face and he was thinking too, but he wasn't a child of Athena and he'd take a while to figure it out.

Annabeth asked how they got there and suddenly made her decision. That was her wish, a way to navigate the Labyrinth. Hera's face fell. She said Annabeth wished for something she already had. Annabeth said she didn't understand. Hera responded it was already in their grasp. Percy had the answer.

"But as always even when you have the answer it takes you a long time to figure it out," Grover commented.

"Cause he's an idiotic punk," Clarisse rolled her eyes. "One who can't see a foot in front of him."

"Why does Percy always have the answer though?" Piper asked. "He has those dreams. Right? He got hints about everything. Somehow. But those aren't from the gods, right? The gods didn't know the things in his dreams. How can the gods not know when the gods are in charge of dreams?"

Every turned to Percy. Percy shrugged. "Why not ask the actual god in the room?"

"No clue," Apollo said. "Even though prophecy is my domain, seeing the past is something different than seeing the future. I have no clue why Percy's dreams behave the way they do."

Annabeth's eyes scanned the room leaving Apollo's face and leaving her wondering until Carter's minute reaction caught hers. He saw her staring and mouthed something to her. "You. Percy. Our task force. After."

Percy asked that he did confused. Annabeth complained that wasn't fair, Hera wasn't telling her what it was. Hera said getting something and having the wits to use it were to very different things which Athena would agree upon.

"Yeah, but Annabeth has the wits," Magnus scoffed. "I mean she's definitely smarter than most the people in this room."

"She has the wits, but Percy doesn't," Nico teased.

Percy rolled his eyes. Annabeth's cousin and his own would never stop teasing him.

The room rumbled with thunder and Hera stood saying that was her cue. Zeus was impatient but Annabeth should think about what she had said about finding Hepahestus, though they'd have to go through the ranch. They'd have to keep going with everything they had to use, even if they seemed common.

"What ranch?" Piper asked thinking of her Grandpa Tom's.

"Not one any of us will be visiting again," Grover bleated. "Cattle guards!"

"I don't know. If it's still under new management it could be fun to check up on," Percy commented.

"We'll see Seaweed brain."

Hera pointed to the two doors which disappeared showing the two halls behind them. She told Annabeth one last thing. Her choice had only been postponed, not prevented. Like Janus said she'd have to make a decision. Then Hera waved a hand and became white smoke along with the food including the sandwich Tyson was taking a bite out of. The fountain stopped and everything dimmed again.

"What's this choice everyone keeps mentioning?" Sadie asked knowing more about impossible choices though she hadn't had to make one in the end.

"The best choice I've ever made," Annabeth answered. Percy grabbed her hand giving it a small squeeze. He'd made the best choice too, to trust her and stay with her.

Annabeth stomped her foot angrily asking what kind of help that was. She mimicked Hera saying have a sandwich, make a wish, oh no I can't help you. Then poof. Tyson repeated poof in a sad voice looking at the empty plate.

"And here starts my life long hate for the worst goddess ever," Annabeth murmured.

"Cheers to that," Thalia grumbled.

Grover sighed saying at least she said Percy knew the answer. They had something. They all looked at Percy who said he didn't know what she was talking about. Annabeth sighed saying they'd just have to keep going.. Percy asked which way and looked at Annabeth curiously.

Percy tensed and Annabeth's eyebrows wrinkles as she felt his hand tense in hers.

Tyson and Grover both stopped and exchanged glances both standing up and going to one of the corridors saying left. Annabeth asked how they were sure. Grover said there was something big coming from the right. Tyson agreed it was big and coming fast. Percy decided left sounded pretty good and all four ran down the corridor.

The scene collapsed and Percy got up. "Now who's up for dinner?"

"Dinner that doesn't go poof," Tyson agreed.

Everyone laughed going out to the dining room. Annabeth pulled Percy back before he could follow and Carter and Sadie came up beside them. Percy's eyebrows wrinkled. "What's up?"

"Carter won't let me eat."

"Annabeth won't let me eat either. They have a theory I bet, or you had a question and Carter theorized. That's why you were so upset."

"Shut up seaweed brain! Let's hear it," Annabeth said turning to Carter.