I opened the door and walked in the room as the familiar smell of warm cookies wafted up my nostrils. I scanned the room and my eyes rested on my mom who was working on her computer. She smiled up at me from the table and stood up, ready for a hug. I relaxed in her arms, a wave of happiness washing over me and I breathed in her wonderful smell of cinnamon and cookies.

She looked at me that way that made me feel like I could do absolutely anything. Then, suddenly, her smile faded. Her deep sapphire eyes misted up and she looked at me seriously.

"Look, Percy," she said, biting her lip, "I've been meaning to tell you this for a long time, but you were always too young, you know? Too vulnerable."

She stared at me like she was still seeing the five-year-old me. She shook her head, brown curls spilling over her face, sighing.

"But you've saved Olympus twice. You're not a little boy anymore. The truth is, I'm- I'm not human, Percy. I'm a goddess."

I stared at her openly. I'm pretty sure my mouth was hanging open.

A goddess? What did she mean?

Mom smiled at me quietly and covered my eyes gently with her hand. I felt a pulse of energy shiver through the air. Mom let go and let me see her. She was still Mom, sure, but she radiated that kind of raw energy like the gods. She was literally glowing and her eyes were a deep sapphire. Her hair reached her back in brown curls and a golden flower crown rested on top of her head. She wore a long blue cape that rippled around her.

"I am Frigg, the All-Mother," she said her voice pulsing with power. I couldn't help it. I started to bow. Mom caught me.

"Percy," she said sadly, dimming to back to her human form. I shrugged her off.

"Look, I'm just going to my room. This is a lot to take in, you know?"

I marched to my room, half angry, half confused.

I sat on my bed, feeling guilty about walking out on my mom like that. I went over everything I knew about Norse mythology. Thor. Odin. Freya. I knew hardly anything. I'd have to call Magnus sometime soon.

A knock sounded through my room, making me jump and Mom poked her head round the door.

"May I come in?" she asked, and I nodded in response.

She came over and sat next to me on the bed, putting one arm around me. I melted in her freshly-baked-cookies smelling shoulder.

"Percy," she said,"I have retreated from the world of gods for nearly two centuries. I am practically human."

"Does Paul know?" I asked,"Oh of course he does."

Mom sighed,"Percy, in a few months, your baby sister will be born. She will be a demigod and who better to train her up than the Hero of Olympus?"

"I'm not-"

"Yes, you are Percy. And I'd like you to meet my family some time soon."

"Your family."

"Yes, my family. Now, come, the gods have requested your presence."

Bright. Everything was much too bright. I groaned and tried to sit up. I looked around and saw I was in once more in Olympus.

"Haven't I just been here?" I asked, sitting up and rubbing my head.

A ripple of suppressed laughter echoed through the room, nervously shaking the walls.

I stood up, shakily, dreading the process that would come next.

Mom took my hand and led me over to three old ladies I knew far too well, yet knew hardly anything about.

They seemed to be fighting with another set of beings who were busy carving symbols into wood.

"Perseus Jackson," they crackled and the ladies stopped carving to stare at me with unblinking, ancient eyes.

"A god who should not exist. A being of two pantheons."

Mom squeezed my hand and gave me an encouraging smile.

"The son of Poseidon," the lady holding a sharp knife hissed at the same time as the one of the Fates said,"the son of Frigg." Both glared at each other.

The Fate on the far left and the lady carving symbols into wood reached out and touched my forehead, chanting in a language too old to understand.

I felt a sudden rush of power and I fell to my knees. Words could not begin to explain the excruciating pain. Every strand, every bond of my Norse side was forced out of hiding, changing my crimson blood to gold. I could not suppress the screams bottled up inside me.

Then all at once, the feeling of being turned inside out faded. The sting of the ichor against my new godly skin still remained and the horrible feel of power still settled in the back of my mind.

"Rise Perseus Jackson, god of heroes and guardians, loyalty, determination, and protection at sea."

Mom helped me stand up and I felt a weird pulse in my gut, which made me feel both powerful and queasy at the same time.

Poseidon rushed over and gave me a hug which would've rivaled Tyson's. Zeus's eyes flashed in annoyance and I could practically see lightning flashing in them.

Why were most of them so happy? This had to be one of the worst days of my life.

Even though I couldn't help being a god I felt that sense of sadness that made me feel like I'd lost something important and could never get it back.

Gods, what would Annabeth think?

"Mom," I said, suddenly realising something.

"Yes, Perce?" Mom turned to me with that proud Mom-smile she did when I had won a battle or passed a test.

"We need to get back," I pleaded, starting to turn away slowly to prove my point.

Mom shook her head.

"Oh, Percy. You can't meet your friends yet. We don't know the full extent of your powers."

"But Annabeth-"

Poseidon smiled at me,warmly, "You'll see Annabeth soon enough, Perseus. Let's just see what you can do first."