After this chapter I owe you two more chapters. The first chapter will be posted in a couple hours and then I'll attempt to post the second chapter.

Until then, enjoy this chapter!

Uma and Jason emerged from the ocean a few moments later where Mal was waiting on them eagerly. After helping Uma use her hair to cover her gills once again, the trio headed back to the Pegasus stables where the four other Big Three children were milling about.

"Do any of the Pegasus feel like going on another flight?" Jason questioned Percy, since he's the only one that can talk to them. "I promised Uma and Mal want to go on one too."

Percy waited a moment for a couple of the Pegasi to give their answer. "Blackjack and Porkpie said they would," Percy translated. "But I have to stay here with the others."

"I can ride Blackjack with Mal," Nico offered. When the others stared at him for suggesting that, he quickly stammered out defensively, "What? Mal is my step-sister and Blackjack doesn't care who rides him. We can take Blackjack while Jason and Uma take Porkpie."

"That works for me," Jason agreed. "We'll be back soon."

And with that said Jason helped Uma mount on top of Porkpie while Blackjack knelt down to have Mal climb a top. Each couple took to the skies at the same time, but Jason took Uma up way higher than he really was supposed to, beyond the cloud lines.

Nico shook his head. "Porkpie is going to give him an earful when they land," he told Mal , who was sitting behind him with her arms securely wrapped around his waist. "Pegasi don't like to fly higher than they need to. I'm at Blackjack's limit right now. If I go any higher, he'll get restless."

"That's fine," Mal insisted as she looked down to get an aerial view of the camp. "I like this height."

Their ride was pretty silent for a few minutes, until Nico abruptly asked, "Is Persephone really your mother?"

"She's my mom," Mal answered just as quickly. "I already told you about the woman I refer to as 'Mother'."

"But is Persephone biological?"

"Why do you ask?"

Nico hesitated as they did another loop around the perimeter of the camp. "It's just . . ." Nico sighed as he tried to come up with the words. "You remind me so much of my older sister, Bianca. Your smile is almost the same along with your laugh. You accepted me without a second thought. Bianca was the only one to do that. It made me wonder if instead of being my step-sister, that you are actually my . . . you know."

This time, Mal sighed. "I wish I could tell you the truth," she commented. "But I'm not allowed to say without a god's or goddess's permission. I can ask Aunt Hestia when we get back to camp if you want."

" 'Aunt Hestia'?" Nico repeated before shaking his head in amusement. "So, you talk to her too?"

"Da—" Mal stopped herself short, groaning at her mistake. "Step-Dad," she corrected herself, "told me that the campers usually ignored her. I made a point to greet her when I first arrived."

"And kiss her on the cheek?"

"She's our aunt!" Mal shouted defensively as she began to blush from embarrassment. "Uma already gave me crap about that last night."

"But what is your story?" Nico wondered as they adjusted their course to the Pegasus stables. "You said that you met my father yesterday, yet you talk as though you've known him for weeks."

Mal sighed. "I'll tell you everything after I talk with Aunt Hestia," she promised as they slowly started to descend. "Until then, please don't mention any of this to our cousins and Hazel. I can get into so much trouble, and I rather not find out what kind of punishment I can get here in America."

Nico turned his head to look at her in confusion. "You talk as though you aren't from here."

"Again I say, I'll tell you everything," she promised. "Meet me in the Hestia cabin in ten minutes."

As they landed on the ground and dismounted from Blackjack, Jason and Uma, who was laughing like crazy, soon followed suit. Jason got off of Porkpie first then helped Uma jump down soon after. As Nico had predicted, Porkpie was giving Jason an earful as he was led inside the stables.

"That was so much fun!" Uma exclaimed to Mal as she attempted to fix her wind-blown hair. The two had said good-bye to the five before walking back to the camp together. "Jason's going to take me on a ride on Tempest, his horse storm spirit, tomorrow afternoon."

"Sounds like you have a date," Mal teased. "But doesn't he have a girlfriend."

"She broke up with him a week ago," Uma informed with a smile. "But I wouldn't call it a date just yet."

Her smile turned into a confused frown when she finally noticed where they were going. "Why are we going to the cabins?"

"I have to talk with Hestia," Mal claimed. "Nico knows."

Cliffhanger! I'll try to get the other chapters up as soon as possible so bear (that the right spelling?) with me!