Hey, my dear, lovely readers! :) The next chapter is here, though it's not as long as the last one. But it has much more action! Yep, you guessed right, the quest has begun! Finally!

harryginny9 – Thank you!

topyeah19 – Thanks! I had real fun writing the squirrel thing. Originally, I planned it to be a deer instead but I think the squirrel is funnier and much more ridiculous. :) And the part about Andre's curse, I had planned since the beginning of the story and even hinted towards it in the Prologue. I'm glad you approve, because I really tried to do it 'more realistic'.

discb – Oh my God! I didn't notice! Haha, this is certainly my second favorite typo ever! XD

ztenshi104 – Yep, Artemis will be vicious when she finds out *evil laugh* Well, it will be funny thing to see.

Midoll123 – You know, that review got me thinking that there is actually a way to continue this after The Last Olympian and include The Heroes of Olympus too. We'll see about that, I guess.

Artemis – Um, actually she is straight.

PersephoneJackson123 – I am a fan of both Fem!Percy/Apollo and Fem!Percy/Hermes pairing and because I couldn't decide (it's so damn hard!) I left it in the hands of the readers. But to see how Andre and Apollo's relationship could progress would be interesting.

But no worries! Even if the pairing here is Andre/Apollo, I'm currently writing on my computer a new Fem!Percy/Hermes story, which will be posted really soon I hope. :)

Guest – Thanks!

Isabella Frida-Marie Cullen - :)

ptl4ever419 – No worries! We all have personal lives as well :) I'm glad you like the story and the new chapters. And Andre blames Hades too, because at the moment it seems like the only possibility. She will start realizing the truth soon, though.

NicoleDiAngelo16 – Well, Apollo has 49% of all the votes now, so he probably will be the winner :)

. – It probably will be him, so rest assured :)

pandalover9914 – Watching where the poll is headed, it will probably be one of them

Nameless2210 – Thank you! Constructive criticism is always appreciated. After all, how could you improve otherwise if there is no one to point out your mistakes.

I try to make Andre more rational than Percy is. After all, I think that Artemis is a very clever goddess and I think her daughter would inherit that no matter who her father is. Also, Andre considers her relationship with Hestia as a very special one, so she tries to be understanding and kind.

I'm glad you like the curse's reveal. I completely agree with you that most fanfictions make that kind of things too dramatic. Things cannot always happen this way, so I tried to make it more peaceful I guess, in a way that Andre could have easier way accepting.

Legacy01 – Thanks for the list! And of course I noticed you! My reviewers are especially important to me because you guys are my biggest inspiration. If I'm feeling down, I just look at what you've written to me and my mood improves immediately! :)

awsmpup – Relax, it will probably be him :)

WinkeeCharm – Yes, a relationship between Andre and Apollo would be a very interesting, funny and awkward thing to read.

CupCakeGuest – Relax, it won't be Ares :)

Extended Experience – Thank you! And I, personally, pronounce it ahn-dray, but I guess anyone can choose how to say it :)

godess bubbles – The quest has officially begun! XD

Guest 2 – We'll see. There is time still

Daughter of Broken Vows
Chapter 14
The Three Lapdogs of Hades

"We are taking the freaking bus?!" I found myself yelling in anger, waving the three tickets Chiron had just given me in front of his face. "What, the gods can't afford to give us a car? And here I thought Zeus wanted his bolt back quickly!" I huffed and crossed my arms. It was the morning after my conversation with Hestia and the morning we were supposed to leave on our quest. Yet, Chiron and I were the first one arrived at our meeting spot (the top of Half-Blood Hill, like I had just learned it was called) and the centaur had decided to explain me what rout to take, including our method of transportation.

Not to sound like a spoiled, ungrateful brat, but really? The bus? I thought we would at least be given a car to make our journey easier, but, no, Zeus was determined to make my quest a living hell.

"He does want it back quickly." Chiron affirmed grimly. "In fact he has set the Summer Solstice as your deadline. If he doesn't get his weapon back until then, he will rage a war on Poseidon."

Okay, the Summer Solstice was on June 21 and today was the 11th which meant… "TEN DAYS!? We have only TEN days?!" How, in Hestia's name did Zeus expect us to travel across the country (without a plane), enter the Underworld, get the bolt from Hades (hopefully) and come back in one piece in ten day? Talk about mission impossible.

I took a deep breath. Alright, we would figure something out. Annabeth was smart; she must have had a plan. Right, Athena always had a plan. I hoped this case was not an exception or something because then we would be screwed.

I tightened the grip I had on the strap of my backpack that currently held all my possessions. I gazed towards the Camp, nestled in the base of the hill and my stomach tightened with melancholic sadness. Just now I realized that in the few days I had been here, the Camp had grown on me. I had gotten used to the life here and despite everything, I liked it. I fit here somehow, or at least had fit, before everyone found out my parentage. Now I was looked at with open dislike and hints of fear.

I shook my head to clear it, focusing at the approaching Annabeth and Grover. They both had backpacks similar to mine and were dressed comfortably, probably to be able to fight freely. It was kind of strange seeing Grover with jeans and trainers again, especially after I had going used to seeing him without camouflage. Though I supposed some mortals would be unsettled it they noticed a boy with goat legs.

"I wish I had more time to train you." Chiron sighed as he looked at me. "But then again, you are not a half-blood." He put his hand on my shoulder and peered into my eyes. "You are strong, Andre. You have quick mind and inborn fighting skills. Use them." I nodded. "You still have Riptide?" Another nod. "Good. Your father gave it to me sixteen years ago, saying I would know who to give it to. The moment you were claimed I realized he had meant you the whole time."

I reached up to touch the hairclip I had somehow managed to transform the Anaklusmos in. This form was better than a pen, at least I thought so, because I could have it with me even when I didn't have pockets.

With the corner of my eye, I saw another person run up the hill and turned to face a panting Luke Castellan.

"I'm glad I caught you." He breathed out, rewarding us with a dazzling smile, making Annabeth blush brightly. I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. For such a smart girl she was way too obvious. "I just wanted to wish you good luck," He said to me. "And I thought you might use that." Just now I noticed the slightly faded basketball shoes he was carrying. With a smile, the son of Hermes passed them to me.

The moment I touched them, though, a strange feeling passed through me. Suddenly I felt cold and miserable, like all the sunlight had been sucked out of the air, leaving it cold and empty.

I suppressed a shudder and forced a smile on my face, unwilling to confront Luke in front of the others, though I knew there was something wrong with the shoes and it wasn't good.

"Maia!" Luke said and a pair of wings sprouted out of the heel of the shoes. I was more than happy to let go of the damned trainers and watch them flutter to the ground. The moment I dropped them the terrible feeling disappeared, like it had never been there.

I watched the son of Hermes leave, frowning against his back. The seed of suspicion was growing inside me. My instincts screamed to stay away from him and his gifts but I shushed them for now. And despite the fact that I wanted to grab the shoes and hurl them as far away as possible, they could be useful on the quest, even though I was sure Zeus would never allow me to fly with them.

Carefully, I picked them up with the tops of my fingers, careful to keep as little contact as possible and dropped them into my backpack. I would see what to do with them later.

I looked up at Chiron. "I will prevent this war." I said with determination. "I will not let this world be destroyed by a few angry immortals." With that I turned around and made my way downhill towards the SUV that would drop us off at the bus station.

Argus was once again playing the role of our personal driver and winked at me with his many eyes when I approached.

The journey was a quiet affair, with all three of us squeezed in the backseat, silently thinking over all the worries we had about the quest. But I was uneasy, my ADHD acting up and making me fidget impatiently.

"So far so good." I murmured with a smile, in an effort to break the ice. "Ten miles and no monsters in sight."

Annabeth glared at me. "It's a bad luck to speak this way." She snapped, making me frown. She had been behaving differently after I was claimed, not really unfriendly, but somewhat confused, switching between liking me and hating me. I wanted to know why.

"What's wrong with you, Annabeth?" I asked, trying to make myself sound less sharp than usual. I would not get my answers if I got her angry now. "You've been acting differently towards me since I was claimed."

The daughter of Athena sighed suddenly, leaning her head against the backseat. "I'm sorry Andre. It's just… My mother and your father are enemies and I don't know how I'm supposed to react to you."

Ah, that explained some things. The rivalry between Athena and Poseidon was legendary, as was their dislike about each other. I could see that Annabeth was just split between loyalty to her mother and to her friends.

"I am also the daughter of Artemis." I reminded her quietly, hating how hard it was to say it out loud. "Artemis and Athena are not rivals, right?"

"No." Annabeth answered, sounding better.

"Then, you have no reason to hate me." I concluded with a grin and the daughter of Athena flashed me a small smile and a quick okay. Phew, one crisis dealt with. It would have been disastrous if I had to fight with my questmate the whole time. After all we were supposed to be a team and had to act like it, because otherwise we would be doomed.

Argus dropped us at the Greyhound Station on the Upper East Side, not far from my apartment building. I longingly glanced down the street, wanting nothing more than go home and have Sally there with me, with her sweet-smelling uniform and the warm hugs she would always give me.

But she was not there, I thought angrily. All that was left was Gabe, who was probably too busy enjoying his little poker-parties with his disguising friends, to even think about my mom. The thought made me furious and for a moment I wondered if now would be a good time to go beat him up.

But I couldn't. I had to find my mom and that damned bolt. Yes, my mom. To be honest, Zeus' orders were not the main reason I was one this quest. I couldn't care less about what he thought of me and what he wanted. He could throw as many temper tantrums as he wished.

This, this fucked-up quest was my chance, my only chance probably, to get back my mom. Hades had taken her unfairly and was getting her back, one way or another. Even if I couldn't fight the Lord of the Dead for her, Zeus had given me his word and even though I liked him so little, I knew he would not go back on his promise. He might act like a petulant child who had lost his best toy, but he was also god of honor and justice.

I looked around and something caught my attention. My photo was taped on a mailbox with the letters HAVE YOU SEEN THIS GIRL typed bellow. I suppressed a sneer, knowing exactly who was behind this.

"Hey guys," I called out and pointed toward the flyer. "Look, I'm famous!"

Annabeth's eyes widened and she ripped the flyer off the mailbox, looking at it. "This is not good." She murmured. "Now we have to be careful around mortals as well." To be honest, that had never occurred to me and I had to frown. This would make this quest even harder, having to hide my identity from regular people as well.

Curse that idiot Gabe! Why did my mom have to marry him?!

"To hide you." I heard Grover speak and twirled to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "Sally married Gabe because of you. His human stench is powerful enough to hide even the scent of a full goddess." He explained grimly. "That's why you weren't found by monsters for so long. You were well hidden."

Coldness gripped my heart. Sally, the wonderful, selfless Sally, had married the most horrible man I had ever met, just to protect me, a kid who was not even hers by blood. My eyes burned as I thought what other sacrifices she had done for me.

I will get her back, I vowed. I wouldn't give up until she was safe and sound, back home.

"Andre?" Annabeth asked somewhat cautiously and I glanced at her. "We have to go." I followed her gaze to the bus that had just arrived and nodded, throwing one last hateful look down the street.

Later, Gabe, later I will make you sorry for all you've put my mom and me through.

I heard strange sniffing sound while we waited to get on the bus and looked at Grover who was looking around with a frown. A bad feeling settled over me. "Gro, what is it?" I asked in a hushed whisper, but he waved me off, claiming he was not sure. But I was sure now that there was something wrong. My anxiety doubled when we climbed on and took our seats, thankfully right next to each other.

I stared at the other passengers, looking for danger. I found nothing at first, just the normal people you would expect to see on a bus, but then my eyes fixed on three old ladies, sitting behind the driver, their legs crossed in an X over the highway. One of them looked up at me and my throat tightened as I recognized the face that still haunted my nightmares.

Yep, you guessed right. Mrs. Dodds, the Fury slash English teacher who had made my school life Hell. And if I was right, judging by the fact that they were just as ugly, the other two old ladies were her sisters.

Hades' lapdogs in all their glory. Splendid.

I nudged Annabeth and motioned towards them. Her eyes widened. "All three of them?!" She gasped quietly. "Di immortales!"

"What are we going to do?"Grover whimpered but I paid him little attention, too busy searching for a way out.

"The windows?"

"They won't open."

I cursed under my breath when we entered the Lincoln tunnel and the bus became dark and silent. This wrote off the emergency exit on the roof as a way to escape. I watched in fear as Mrs. Dodds stood up and announced she had to go to the toilet, soon followed by her demonic sisters. My hand was already heading for the hairpin that was Riptide, but Annabeth stopped me.

"Take this!" She thrust her Invisibility cap in my hands. "Put it on and let them walk past you. Then get off the bus as quick as possible."

I tried to object that I wouldn't leave them alone to face the three most terrifying monsters but Athena's daughter shushed me with a glare. Feeling terribly, I put the cap on and started creeping up the aisle. I ducked in an empty seat when the Furies walked past me. One of them stopped to sniff the air and I forced myself to breathe as quietly as possible. Apparently, she didn't see anything and continued towards the back of the bus.

I finally reached the driver and was preparing to press the emergency stop button when I glanced back towards my friends. The Furies were upon them, having shed their human attire, fiery whips grasped in their hands.

"Where is it?!" They were hissing.

"She's gone!" Annabeth cried back, drawing her bronze dagger. "She's not here!"

I watched one of the monsters raise her whip and I knew I had to do something. With speed I didn't know I possessed, I grabbed the silver bow and fired, hitting the first monster straight in the temple. With a horrible scream, the Fury exploded in golden dust.

Immediately, the other two turned their faces towards me.

In a desperate attempt, I hit the emergency break, making the bus spin out of control over the wet asphalt and crash into the trees, thankfully already out of the tunnel. The other passengers screamed but I was busy watching the two monsters left which were way too quick in regaining their balance.

I ripped the cap off my head, knowing that there was no use in staying invisible when they clearly knew where I was. I fired another silver arrow but Ms Dodds slashed with her whip, splitting it while it was in the air.

Oh, shit.

I drew Riptide, praying that I would be able to keep the monsters busy long enough to give Annabeth and Grover an opening to attack as well.

"Andronika Jackson." Mrs. Dodds hissed, baring her terrible yellow fangs at me. "You have offended the gods."

I found the strength to smirk at her. "Tell me something I don't know, sweetcheeks." I charged. The whip slashed towards me but I dodged, looking for a chance to get past it and close enough to strike, but it was nearly impossible. The two Furies wielded the whips like professionals, barely giving me time to duck and spin.

With my peripheral vision I saw a tin can hit one of the Furies on the head, momentarily attracting her attention. I used the moment to do probably the most foolish thing in my life. I threw Riptide like a throwing knife and right through the monster's unprotected chest. This was all good and everything, but it left me defenseless against the approaching Mrs. Dodds. Her whip slashed towards me again but this time I didn't have the opportunity to dodge. Instead, I let it wrap around my arm, hissing in pain as my skin sizzled from the heat and fire, but didn't drop. The Fury looked stunned by my idiocy and froze. Perhaps she had never seen anyone touch her whip willingly before.

With all my strength, I pulled, ripping the weapon away from her grip. Annabeth used the moment to launch herself at the monster's back, pushing her into the aisle. I felt the exact moment Anaklusmos appeared back in my hair and drew it out again. My other hand still held the burning whip but I had pushed the pain to the back of my mind and instead jumped on top Mrs. Dodds, narrowly avoiding the sharp talons. "Your dental hygiene is horrific." I said to her, before driving the blade right through her chest.

"Andre!" Annabeth cried out. "Get out of here now!"

I didn't need another reminder, already having heard the deep rumbling at the front of the bus that, I was sure, indicated nothing good.

Like mad, we jumped through the opened doors and towards the tree line, just as the vehicle exploded behind us, the power of the blast pushing us towards the ground, but we were already too far away to be seriously hurt.

For a moment, I just lay face down on the ground, exhausted, sore and in pain, but thankfully alive, still gripping the whip, though the burning had already stopped.

A spoil of war. I thought, realizing it had not disappeared along with its owner. Well, I would be damned if I didn't keep it, after all it had cost me.

"We must keep going." Annabeth whispered and I nodded, already having heard the sirens in the distance. I hanged the whip on my waist and followed my quest mates towards the forest, stopping when we entered the tree line to look back towards the panicking mortals. Kids were crying and screaming at the sight of the burning bus.

A flame of anger burned deep inside me at the sight.

I will make you regret this, Hades.

Soooo, what do you think? Don't be shy, feel free to express your opinion in a review :)