Chapter 23

Hey guys! So I hope you liked the last chapter, let me know what you think! Also! I signed up for FictionPress and I posted the prologue of this book I've been working on. Its all my own. I don't know if you guys know about FictionPress but its basically like but you post your own works. Like not fanfiction related at all or anything. It's pretty cool, there's also Wattpad and I might do that too. But look me up! ;) My username is DragonQueen and the title of the story is "Artificial Humans: Friend or Foe?" I know it sounds dumb shut up I'm still working on the title.

Hunter wouldn't say a word. He avoided the whole crew of the Argo II. Katherine tried to corner him but whenever she did he teleported away from her (since when could he do that?). The seven and Katherine soon gave up and let Hunter be. Katherine and Annabeth still had three hours before their shift started so they decided to try and sleep again. Strangely, Katherine fell asleep the instant her head hit her pillow.

She was on the deck of the Argo II. Fog limited her vision, she couldn't see farther than a couple feet around her. Katherine started walking around, wondering what this dream was going to bring. She ended up walking into the main mast and decided to sit still until the dream showed what it wanted it to show.

Suddenly, the fog parted for a woman. It was the same woman Katherine had seen in her dream the other night. She was still the most beautiful woman Katherine had ever seen. When someone was face to face with Aphrodite they saw what they believed to be the most beautiful features. Katherine was sure the next time she saw Aphrodite (if ever) she would see this woman's face.

The woman wasn't in her billowing dress this time. Now she wore faded jeans and the Long Live the Beatles album cover on a white shirt. Katherine couldn't argue with her music taste. Even though her dark hair hung plainly over her shoulder, and no makeup was visible on her face, the woman managed to look…well sexy.

She started walking closer to Katherine. Again, Katherine didn't back away. She had the same feeling as last time, like she could trust this stranger. The woman smiled.

"My dear, dear child." She said softly. That was new. "It is time."

"What are you talking about?" Katherine asked. Power radiated from the woman, and suddenly the deck of the Argo II faded away. Katherine was back in her old house in Camp Jupiter. Sitting on the couches in the living room were Jason, Lily, Zach, her foster mother, as well as the woman from her dream. Jason, Lily, and Zach were much younger, probably around ten/eleven years-old. There were two of the woman. One standing beside her, the other standing in front of Katherine's…well…family.

"It is time to show you the truth." The woman said. Then Katherine's foster mother spoke.

"Who are you? And why have you gathered us here?" She asked. Katherine choked back a sob. She missed her mom. Hearing her voice brought tears to her eyes.

"Do not speak to me with such a tone." The memory woman said calmly. "I am Queen Eleanor, of the Draugarya, or shape shifters. We are an ancient race, so I will not be surprised if you do not recognize the name."

Lily furrowed her eyebrows. "I think I read that name in a book somewhere. What do you want with us?" She asked in a rude tone.Katherine smiled. Lily had always been brave, sometimes a little crazy. She was never afraid to show people how she felt about them.

The memory of the queen raised her chin. "Insolent child…" She muttered. Then she regained her regal composure and continued. "I have a daughter, and in our ways there are a series of trials she must go through. One is mortality. I am going to erase her memories up until now. I will implant new ones, ones of a life here. I will implant memories of her to all the other humans living here as well." Katherine tried to keep up.

"Why would you do that to your own daughter?" Zach asked. The memory queen sighed.

"A human would not understand." She told him. Jason scowled.

"Why are you telling us?" He asked.

"Because she will believe you have been her family up until this point. I will give you false memories as well, but you will know that they are fake. I entrust you not to mess this up. If she starts to remember or starts to pick up on the way you treat her, I will bring you to my palace and torture you personally. I will have you begging for death. Am I clear?" The queen threatened.

Then the present Queen Eleanor spoke. "That should be enough." Katherine's living room blurred, then they were back on the foggy deck of the Argo II. Katherine had to lean against the mast to keep from falling to the ground. Her legs felt weak. Her head was dizzy, furiously putting the pieces together.

"T-That…That can't be. I-I…I don't believe you." She said shakily.

"What more proof do you need dear?" The queen asked. She started to take a step closer but Katherine put her hand out for her to stop.

"NO! Get back! I-I don't know you!" She cried. The queen sighed.

"Maybe this will help." She moved so quickly Katherine didn't have time to react. The queen placed her hands on Katherine's temples. Memories flashed through Katherine's head.

She was about four. A little girl the same age with the same face sat next to her. Her name flashed through Katherine's mind. Katrina. Katrina…her twin sister. They were playing a common Draugaryain game on the floor of the throne room. Their mother sat in her throne, in her true from, smiling down at them. She ended up joining them. The scene changed.

Katherine was in the middle of a war. Draugaryain soldiers were all around her, all in their true forms and armor. She and Katrina fought side by side, both in armor and their true forms. Men in blue and grey uniforms attacked them from all sides. The Civil War. Roman and Greek demigods joined together just once to try and take out the Draugarya. They shot imperial gold bullets, gold was deadly to the Draugarya. Katrina took a shot to the head. She fell to the ground, her eyes wide open. Katherine remembered the anger she felt towards humans, the pain in the death of her sister. The scene changed yet again.

Katherine was in the castle's stables. She was grieving Katrina's death. She clung onto her pegasus mare. She was a huge black Clydesdale, her black wings had white tips. Katherine had her face buried in Shadow Storm's black mane. Her white muzzle nuzzled her softly. She remembered her pegasus. She remembered everything. Other memories flashed by. She remembered the castle, her mother, her sister. She remembered the royal guard, so friendly with her. She remembered the close relationship with her demon, Zera. That was her true name, something one only told another if they trusted them completely. To others, Zera was Lola.

Katherine stumbled back as the memories faded. She fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. She couldn't handle all the emotions running through her: hate, love, fear, sorrow, regret, pain, loneliness, vengeance.

"Now do you remember dear?" The queen said softly. She kneeled in front of her and stroked her cheek.

"Mom…" Katherine mumbled. She looked into her mother's green eyes. They were warm. To others her eyes were cold and heartless, but the queen truly cared for her family. To her daughters, they were warm.

"Katrina…" Katherine choked. Fresh tears streamed down Katherine's face. The queen seemed on the brink of tears as well.

"I now sweetheart, I know." She consoled. Katherine wiped her face with the back of her hand.

"Why now?" She asked. "Why reveal all this to me now?"

"It was time. You completed your trial. It's time to come home, take your rightful place on the throne." Her mother said sweetly. Katherine shook her head.

"No…I know the end of these trials. I am not there. You wouldn't cut them short unless…" Sudden realization hit her. "You're dying…" The queen nodded solemnly.

"I'm afraid so. I need you back honey. Our people need you back." She said. Katherine shook her head.

"I-I can't…Percy…Jason…all my friends here. I can't just leave them." Katherine said. The queen's expression darkened.

"They are not your family. Those memories are false." She said.

"Maybe Jason isn't…but Percy…Annabeth…Camp Half-Blood. Those memories aren't false." She told her. Katherine knew standing up to her mother like this wasn't smart. The queen snarled. Lightning flashed and her true form flashed with it.

"I led you to them!" The queen yelled. Her darker side began to show itself. "I led you to Sally Jackson. I made sure you made it to Camp Half-Blood. I have been controlling your life up until now! None of it's real! They all see you for who you are, a monster. You do not belong with these humans. Remember what they did to your sister! Their love is fake…" Then her voice softened. "My love is real."

"No!" Katherine yelled. "If you loved me, you wouldn't make me go through these trials! You would have gotten rid of them!" The queen snarled again.

"How dare you! I knew Katrina was the stronger one. She shouldn't have been killed in that war…it should have been you!" Her mother screamed. Katherine's heart shattered.

Then the dream started to fade. Her mother's snarling face suddenly changed. She seemed to have realized what she said. She tried to say something, but Katherine couldn't hear her. The last thing Katherine saw was her mother's face fading, a tear making its way down her cheek.

Annabeth was shaking her shoulder. "Katherine!" She whispered harshly. Katherine sat up bolt right. She was breathing hard, and she was still crying.

"Are you ok? I came in to tell you Jason and Leo's shift was over. You were sobbing when I opened the door. Was it a nightmare?" She asked softly. Katherine shook her head and wiped away her tears.

"N-No…sorry. I'm ok now. Let's go up on deck." She said. She hastily grabbed her jacket and almost ran up the stairs to the deck. She needed the fresh air. She needed to be alone. She heard Annabeth come up behind her, so she quickly climbed up to the quarter deck. Annabeth didn't follow her. She seemed to get her message; I don't want to talk about it.

Katherine was grateful for the space Annabeth was giving her. She needed time to think. Fresh tears fell down her face and she had to grab the railing to steady herself. A rush of thoughts ran through her head.

Jason isn't my brother. His love for me is fake. Zach and I were never friends. Lily and I were never friends. I used to have a twin sister. She was killed by demigods. I'm not a demigod. I'm not even human. Annabeth, Percy, and all the others think I'm a monster. My mother probably told them all about who I really was the moment I met them. I don't have any friends, only Zera. Wait…Zera.

Katherine concentrated. She closed her eyes and soon she was on her mind beach, as she called it. She turned around, looking for Zera, but she was not there. Katherine also noticed the water was no longer black and bubbling, but smooth and clear.

"Zera!" She yelled. "Show yourself!" She waited, but Zera did not show. She clenched her fists. "Dammit, Zera! Come out!" She felt a presence appear behind her. Katherine whipped herself around and faced Zera's dark form.

"You called." She said calmly. "What do you need?"

"You know damn well why I'm here." Katherine spat. Zera flinched.

"I was afraid of what you were going to say." She said, hanging her head. Her wings drooped.

"Three words… .hell. What the hell Zera!" Katherine yelled at her.

"You're going to have to be a little more specific I'm afraid…" Zera said.

"My arm for one. Pretending to be my enemy. Scaring the hell out of me. Taking control during the battle at the wolf house. Acting like a total ass. Not telling me anything. Letting Hunter tell me all those lies. I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND!" Katherine couldn't control her anger. She was shaking because she was so mad. Zera just hung her head. She wouldn't look Katherine in the eye.

"I-I was told by the queen to not say anything. She told me to act like that. Hunter made sure that I didn't tell you anything. I wanted to tell you, I did! Your mother threatened me, she said she would kill me if I told you anything!" Zera explained.

"You know that was a lie! If my mother killed you that would be the same as killing me!" Katherine yelled.

"I know…" Zera said quietly. Katherine's anger dissipated. Zera had been protecting her.

"Then you also know the queen would never harm me…well she would never kill me." Katherine said, softer. Zera sighed.

"I-I know…she just seemed so convincing. I didn't want to put you in danger. I'm afraid I did that anyway…I really am sorry about your arm…and your leg…and for scaring you…" Zera apologized. Katherine sighed.

"Geez…How am I supposed to stay angry now?" She said. Zera picked her head up.

"So you forgive me?" She asked hopefully. Katherine narrowed her eyes.

"Not fully…I am going to get you back for my arm and leg you know. It's unavoidable." She said playfully. Zera actually laughed. Katherine's memories of her being evil were still in her head, and seeing her laugh was a little weird.

"Of course, I knew something like that would be in my future." She said. She smiled, showing her sharp teeth.

"That form really is unflattering you know…" Katherine said.

"Oh! Right…sorry." Zera laughed. A white light enveloped her. Zera's black form faded to reveal a woman. She had brown hair tied back into a braid. She had coffee brown eyes and rosy lips. She still had her Maleficent horns, dragon wings, dragon tail, claws, and the hind legs of a dragon as her legs. Her leg scales went all the way up to her hips, and surrounded her belly button a little. She had scales covering from right below her breasts to up her neck. Scales also framed her face sort of like sideburns. Zera smiled and Katherine saw only two fangs this time. Katherine never really realized how much the Draugarya resembled dragons.

"That's better." Katherine said with a smile. Zera returned the smile then faded. Katherine opened her eyes to the rising sun. She must have been talking to Zera for a while, she didn't realize how long it had been. Annabeth was warily approaching her. Katherine turned around to face her.

"So…um…we're going to reach Camp Jupiter in about fifteen minutes. Everyone else is having breakfast…care to join us?" She asked. Katherine nodded.

"Yeah…sure." She said. She and Annabeth made their way to the ladder leading down from the quarter deck. Katherine gave Annabeth a side glance and smiled. "You know you don't have to be so careful with me. I had a bad dream, that's all. It's not like I'm going to attack you." She saw Annabeth blush. They both headed down the quarterdeck then down to the lower decks. Walking to the dining room Katherine suddenly felt scared and nervous…How the hell was she going to face Jason now?

~End of Chapter 23~

I wrote this all in like…an hour. That's like SUPER good for me. Well hope you guys liked this chapter! I'm kind curious/excited to see how y'all react to this chapter. Oh and happy fourth! Have fun blowing stuff up legally! ;) #merica