Welcome to the final part of The Apollo Trials AU. It is time for Apollo to meet his last mortal helper. Boy, is he going to be shocked by who it is.
It was mid-April and the early signs of spring were everywhere. The trees were starting to blossom and the grass was turning green again. The air was getting warmer by the day. Even the robins had started to appear once more.
In the town of Millville Delaware, a fourteen-year-old, slightly tall girl looked around her nearly empty bedroom. Her name was Sonya Blofis. She had short black hair, light green eyes, and a button nose.
She was wearing her favorite outfit. A light blue shirt with a star on it, a jean jacket, and navy jeans with wide bottoms. Her sneakers were black and white with stars doodled on the toes.
Sonya hoped she didn't forget her home. It would be unlikely she would ever see her bedroom again. Her parents had been committed to the Dover Behavioral Health System Center under the Marchman Act.
Her Uncle Paul had filed for temporary custody of her, after his younger brother and his wife had neglected her to the point she got hospitalized for pneumonia, because of another drunken binge. Her parents had blown their last chance with him.
Their sentence was for two years due to their neglect of her. They would have to abstain from alcohol the entire time. They were also subjected to random testing and court-ordered check-ins.
Sonya scanned the room to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. Picking up her suitcases, she went outside where her uncle was waiting for her. He had a big smile on his face.
"Are these the last of your bags?" Paul questioned. His niece nodded and handed them over to him. After shutting the trunk he noticed his niece's expression.
He hated that it had come to this point with his younger brother. He never wanted to separate Sonya from her parents. Still, he couldn't let her continue being neglected to the point of hospitalization.
"I know this isn't what you wanted Sonya. I know you love your parents very much, but they need help to overcome their addiction."
"I know that Uncle Paul. I'm a little disappointed about not being able to see them. What's really disconcerting is leaving home to go to Manhattan," Sonya explained. She shuddered at the thought of living in a cramped and polluted city.
Part of Millville's charm was the beauty of nature around the town. Everything was open and people were kind. You certainly never needed to be wary of someone mugging you or gang warfare out there. It was a safe place to live.
Paul gave his niece a big hug. He knew she hated big cities and loud noises. It would be a massive adjustment for her. "You should concentrate on meeting your new family members. They're going to love you. Sally has been baking her famous blue cookies and you'll love Percy and Estelle. I know they're excited to meet you."
"Estelle's a happy baby. She loves everyone. The one I need to watch for is my new step-cousin. Percy's probably going to think of me as low-class for not growing up in a big city."
Paul assured her that wasn't the case. Percy was a lot like her and full of surprises. He was sure they would have lots of fun together if she gave him a chance.
The drive back to Manhattan would be about four and half hours. That was a long time to sit in a car speculating what the future would hold. "When do I start school?"
"I actually arranged for you to finish your school year at home, I mean my apartment. I know it would be difficult for you to start a new school when summer vacation starts in about five weeks."
"Sally doesn't mind teaching you while I go to work. It will be easier for her to take care of Estelle with your help."
Sonya's nose scrunched up. She better not have to be on diaper duty. That would be worse than having to move to New York. It just became vital to learn more about what her life would be in the Big Apple.
"Where will I be sleeping? Please tell me I'm not staying in the same room as Estelle," the teenager beseeched. She wouldn't be able to sleep at all with a crying baby.
"Nah, Estelle currently sleeps with Sally and me. Percy offered to give up his room to you and sleep on the couch. I told him that wouldn't be necessary. He's leaving for college in a few weeks."
"I'm confident you two can share the same room with a curtain divider for a few weeks. Once he heads for college, you'll have the room to yourself. Can you handle that Sonya?"
She nodded her head. It was no big deal considering Percy had a girlfriend he was devoted to. Uncle Paul had mentioned her while packing up her stuff. He said her name was Annabeth and she was super smart.
Her uncle continued to go on about her new step-cousin. That he was a great swimmer, loved the ocean, and knew tons of nautical stuff. Sonya had to wonder if her uncle was trying to play up his stepson's accomplishments.
"Uncle Paul, is Estelle a good baby? I mean, she doesn't cry and poop all day, right?"
Her uncle laughed. "Well, Estelle does cry and poop like every baby. She is a very easy baby. She's already got me wrapped around her fingers. She's so sweet."
"I mean it. When she's not sleeping all she likes to do is make happy sounds. As long as she's happy you have nothing to worry about."
"I hope your right uncle. So, what do I need to know about my Aunt Sally?"
Sonya listened as her uncle used poetry to describe the wonderful woman he lived with. The way he talked about her showed he was truly in love with the most wonderful woman in the world.
The teenager was happy for her uncle. He deserved to have a loving family that cherished him as much as he cherished them.
Maybe there was room for her as well. Hopefully, his family wouldn't make a big deal about her anxiety disorder.
It wasn't until they reached Manhattan that Sonya remembered the main reason she didn't want to leave Delaware. Just entering the city was making her heart pound. Her brain was swarming with stressful thoughts. "How in the world do they fit so many cars in one city?"
Paul looked at his niece noticing she was turning white. They were driving very slowly because of the traffic. "You don't have to be fearful. Everything is fine, Sonya."
"Fine? We're currently encircled by hundreds of other vehicles, including taxis and buses with drivers willing to do anything to stay on time! Let's not count how many patrol cars there are, ready to chase some senseless driver!"
"Oh, did you forget about the crazy people biking in the middle of the street? Who knows which drivers will attack someone because of road rage or heavens be shot by some gang member? I will not calm down until we are safely parked!"
Paul mumbled something suspicious under his breath. The sooner they got to the apartment the better. He hoped it wouldn't take Percy's powers to get Sonya out of the car.
Fortunately, Percy's intervention was not needed. As soon as the car was parked next to the apartment building, Sonya dashed out the door and stood near the entrance. Her eyes kept going back and forth as she constantly kept a lookout for danger.
Paul sighed and hauled the bags out of the trunk. She took the bags while he carried up two boxes up to the apartment. As soon as the doors were open, Sonya practically ran inside and to the stairs.
Finally arriving at the apartment, the door swung open revealing a teenage boy with black hair and sea-green eyes. "Hi, I'm Percy. You must be Sonya. Here, let me take that."
He grabbed one of her bags and led her down the hall to one of the bedrooms. It was a comfortable size. A curtain was hanging down the middle of the room.
Pushing aside the curtain, there was a small cot laying against the wall. The space itself was clear for the most part. She could fit some of her belongings in here.
"I made some space in my dresser so you can put some of your clothes in there. I know it's not a lot of space, but it's only for a few weeks. After I head out to college you can make this room yours.
"That is very generous of you. I promise I'll leave some of your stuff in the room. I wouldn't want you to come home for the holidays and not be comfortable."
As she started putting her clothes away she asked why he would be heading to the college during summer break.
"They have an introductory summer course. Considering all the trouble I have had with schools over the years, I'm grateful to get a leg up in the world."
Sonya could appreciate that. It was just like her Uncle Paul letting her finish her freshman year at home to avoid the awkwardness of being a new student a few weeks before summer vacation.
Her uncle appeared in the doorway with the rest of her stuff. "Why don't you get settled in Sonya? Sally should be back soon with Estelle and the groceries. We're cooking your favorites for dinner tonight."
She nodded and continued to unpack her stuff. Percy helped her find a place for everything. While they worked together they talked to one another. He asked her if there was anything he could do to help bring down her anxiety levels.
"I'm doubtful that you could make the city feel safe. I have never liked big cities. They're too crowded, polluted, and dangerous in my opinion. I can't stop thinking something bad is going to happen. It's why I prefer small towns with wide open spaces."
"That would be less stressful. I bet they do feel safer than here. You might prefer Long Island. Granted it, it's still part of the NYC, but it has a lot more greenery and open spaces."
"Uncle Paul said that you spend most of your summers and some weekends out there with your friends. He also cited that he didn't think I would be able to go with you."
Percy chuckled nervously. There was obviously a secret he wasn't able to share about his trips. "Yeah, you probably wouldn't. All I can say for now is I'm part of an exclusive club. I can tell you more about it later."
The next morning Sonya woke up confused about why she was on a cot until she remembered yesterday's events. She had cut dinner short last night, saying she was tired.
She had mostly told the truth. She had been tired, but she was very tense around Sally. There was something about her that made Sonya feel inferior to the woman.
Part of it might have been the loving gazes and hugs she gave her kids. Her parents had never hit her or used crass words. The teenager simply couldn't remember the last time her mother had looked at her like that.
Stretching out, she gathered her clothes and headed to the bathroom. She was still half asleep so she didn't question where her step-cousin was. The bathroom door was closed but unlocked.
Stepping inside, she had just put her things down on the counter when the shower curtain parted. Sonya's eyes broadened and she let out a shriek, realizing she had just walked in on her step-cousin finishing his shower.
Percy yelped and the water from the shower-head blasted her at full force into the door. Suddenly it stopped and she felt for a towel to dry her face off.
"Hold on, let me get a towel on!" Thirty seconds later, Percy handed her a fluffy towel to dry her face with.
Wiping the water off her face, Sonya blinked several times. Something was off about the bathroom. She tried to think what it was when Percy helped her up.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to spray you. You just surprised me. I guess you're not much of a morning person?"
It then clicked in Sonya's mind what was off. "Where did all the water go? That shower-head sprayed gallons of water at me. The floor should be sopping and it's not."
"I cleaned it up already."
She raised an eyebrow at him. How had he cleaned up the room soaked in water in just a minute? Somehow she doubted that. She let it go for now seeing as Percy needed to finish getting ready for school.
Forty minutes later, Paul and Percy were gone. While Sally cleaned up the kitchen from breakfast, Sonya was holding onto Estelle. Her cousin was trying to grab her hair.
"No, Estelle. Hair isn't for grabbing! Oh, ow! You really like my hair."
Sally laughed merrily. "She loves playing with Paul and Percy's hair." Estelle burst out in giggles as Sally continued to speak, "I think she has a thing for black hair because she never tries grabbing mine."
Sonya winced as the baby managed to pull a strand of hair off her head. She gave Estelle backed to her mother. Estelle cooed and giggled in delight.
Sally placed her daughter in a baby bouncer next to her chair. Sonya joined them and opened her notebook ready to start today's lessons. "So, what are we starting with first?"
"I apologize for misplacing your school lesson plans. Estelle was a bit of a handful last night. I thought we could work on literature for now. Once Estelle is taking her nap, we can look for them."
"Sounds good to me. This was the book we were talking about in class. Our teacher was really into studying new young adult novels," Sonya explained as she handed her aunt the book they were studying.
Sally's expression changed for a few moments when she read the summary of the book. It was called, "The Immortal Game" by Talia Rothschild and A.C. Harvey.
It was a young adult fantasy about a daughter of Poseidon named Galene. Wrongfully banished from Olympus after it was attacked, she and her friends search for a way to prove her innocence.
To do this, they have to go against a group of exiled godly children who are bent on getting revenge. There is a single way to stop them, but it could tip the balance in anyone's favor.
"Are you enjoying the book?"
Sonya nodded enthusiastically. "It's amazing. Galene is pretty amazing. She has a lot of power when it comes to using waves to get others out of her way. Oh, and she can help her friends breath underwater."
"What can her friends do?"
"Well, there's her best friend. Iyanna her best friend is the daughter of Zeus. Her powers are pretty weak so far, but I still think she's cool. Iyanna had a slightly overprotective boyfriend named Demetri."
Her aunt continued to listen as she described Demetri as a rugged warrior son of Ares and Aphrodite. Then there was Braxas, the son of Apollo, who loved Iyanna but never made his intentions known.
He had a bit of power over fire and was best friends with Kostas. Kostas was the son of Hermes and Iris and had recently gained his immortality and his title as God of Games.
"Kostas has the biggest crush on Galene. He wants to help her prove her innocence so she can come back to Olympus."
"It sounds like a really exciting book. How far along are you?"
"Only halfway. The friends are trying to find a mysterious gem that holds all the monsters of Greek Mythology inside before the rebels against Olympus do."
"Why don't you read three chapters and then we'll discuss them? You can even read out loud to Estelle. She enjoys listening to people read to her."
Sonya thought that was a great idea. She made an off comment remark that since Percy loved the water so much, his favorite story must be either, "The Little Mermaid" or legends about Poseidon.
As the day progressed, Sonya started noticing odd things around the apartment. There was a cartoonish picture hanging right above the kitchen light switch.
It appeared to be a picture of a tall boy with one giant eyeball holding hands with a cartoonish version of Percy. They were both saying the word, "brother" and it was signed by someone named Tyson.
What struck her as odd was the picture was only a few months old, but the picture showed the two boys the same age. Why was that? If they were brothers, shouldn't they both be here?
In the fridge, there was a bottle of sparkling liquid and a few dessert squares. They were inside a container marked PERCY ONLY! Aunt Sally got upset when she saw the container in Sonya's hands.
When she was helping with the laundry after they finished her lessons, she found an orange T-Shirt with the words HALF-BLOOD CAMP, on it. Did it mean Percy was biracial or something else?
The final clue happened right after Percy got home. When she asked if she borrow Percy's phone to call someone while hers charged, he admitted he didn't have one.
"Okay, enough! What aren't you telling me?" the teenager demanded. Hearing her raise her voice shocked both her aunt and step-cousin.
"What do you mean?" Percy asked as his left eyebrow twitched. He kept looking past Sonya and at his mother.
Sonya snapped her fingers to get Percy's attention. "You have a secret you're not telling me. Something is off in this apartment. I want to know what it is."
"Frankly, I don't care if you have HIV or another illness that lets you go to a camp for special people."
"I just want to know what is going on, please. I'm already anxious about living here, I don't want something else to worry about. I'm staying here for the next two years. I deserve to know right?"
Her step-cousin dropped his backpack and gestured for her to follow him. They went back to the bathroom and sprayed the floor with water once more. "This is how I cleaned up the mess this morning."
Sonya watched in wonder as her step-cousin held out his right hand and took control of the water. It rose into the air forming a ball. Then Percy was directed into the shower and released his hold, letting the water drain down the tub.
"Camp Half-Blood is a camp for demigod children of the Greek parathion. My father is Poseidon. The picture above the light switch is of my half-brother Tyson. He's a friendly cyclops who's currently living in New Rome, where my college is at."
"Those treats in the fridge, they're ambrosia and nectar to help heal me. I can eat a bit of them without combusting, unlike a regular mortal like you would. My mom can see through the Mist, an invisible barrier that blocks ordinary people from seeing things as they truly are."
The teenage boy looked Sonya straight in the eye, waiting for her response. He didn't know how his step-cousin was going to act.
He was surprised when all she said was, "I have an amazing book to show you!" She hurried out of the room and he relaxed. It appeared that Sonya was okay with the truth.
The next few weeks went by very quickly. Sonya was happily settling in with her uncle's family and her anxiety levels had dropped a smidge. She still refused to leave the apartment unless she was accompanied by someone.
There was too much sensory overload and it quickly overwhelmed her. Her uncle was looking for a therapist and psychiatrist for her so she could get a refill on her anxiety medication.
It made the girl feel guilty about disrupting her uncle's life. It wasn't his fault she couldn't handle the city. She missed wide open spaces and greenery. It was hard to come by in Manhattan.
It was the day of Percy's graduation. Sonya had volunteered to stay behind and bake a cake for the occasion. She hummed to herself as she mixed the icing to make it a dark blue.
"This is going to be the best cake ever. I really hope Percy likes buttercream frosting. It's the best." Having a quick taste, she started icing the cake. She wanted it to be perfect.
"Okay, let's put my unique spin on this," Sonya admitted. She purposely misspelled graduate so it sounded like the New Yorker accent. She let the cake rest and started decorating the apartment.
She had decided to go with an ocean theme. First, she hung a banner up above the table. The letters looked like different animals from the sea. The balloons were blue with starfish painted on them.
She decorated the table with shells and sand dollars. There was only one thing left to do. She hoped that the poster she ordered looked close enough to the person it was portraying.
When everyone returned from the ceremony they were astounded by the transformation. Sonya had just finished hanging the poster on the hallway wall. "Hi! I know I said I was just going to bake a cake, but I wanted to make this the best celebration in my step-cousin's life."
"It's awesome! How did you even hide all this stuff?" Percy asked as he looked around.
"I asked the maintenance man if I could store it in the supply room until today. I even ordered something special for you, cousin. Come see," she gestured for Percy to come over.
Percy's eyes widened as he saw what the poster was. A full-length poster of Poseidon. Not the run of the mill picture you would find on a company print. No, this one looked exactly like his father.
He looked at Sonya for an explanation. "It wasn't easy. You have no picture. I sent a photo of you to a custom poster company telling them to age it, add a few lines along with picking the outfit. Did I get right?"
He nodded and thanked her. Even if his dad was too busy to pop in himself for a momentous day, at least he had a stand-in for photos. Estelle's giggling brought him back to the present.
"Sounds like the party's ready to start. Let's enjoy the cake you baked."
It was a delightful party. Sonya finally got to meet Annabeth and Grover. They were incredibly nice and didn't mind her asking questions to understand their backgrounds better.
Annabeth even shared some stories about a few private adventures she had with her cousin Magnus and some kids she had met in Brooklyn. It made her wonder if other parathions had made their home in other cities in the United States.
Sonya told them stories about living in Delaware and how she preferred small towns. Grover understood what she meant and said small towns that worked with nature were the best kind to live in.
Five days later, Sonya and the rest of his uncle's family wished Percy, Annabeth, and Grover safe travels as they headed out to California. Uncle Paul joked that Percy better not get another Pegasus hoof dent on the Prius.
It was sad to see them go. With Percy around, Sonya had felt less alone and isolated from the city. Now, she had to figure out how to do that on her own. "I hope you lent me some courage step-cousin. I'm really going to need it if I'm going to survive in this city."
She was having trouble sleeping that night. The sounds of the city were intensified. No matter how tightly she pulled the blinds, the light kept seeping into the room.
Someone must have left a dumpster lid up because she could smell wet garbage, even though the window was tightly shut. Even Percy's bed was uncomfortable.
She was not going to get any sleep in the bedroom tonight. She was told old to be sleeping on the floor of her uncle's bedroom. Grabbing her pillow and blankets she debated where to sleep.
The bathroom would be the best to avoid the sounds and smells, but she didn't know about sleeping in the bathtub. The living room would provide comfort, but it wouldn't be less noisy, but at least there would be no lights shining in.
"Couch it is. Maybe I can check the coat closet for earmuffs. It would help block out the noise." Sonya dragged her stuff into the living room and threw it on furniture.
Checking the coat closet, she found some earmuffs. Yawning, she settled back down on the couch. Closing her eyes, she finally drifted to sleep.
BANG! CRASH! FLASH!
Sonya sat up on the couch startled by the sounds and light. "Is it a crime to want a good night's sleep?" she demanded. She snapped open the blinds determined to find the source of the noise.
Instead, there was nothing outside. No buildings, no cars, not even a sky! It was just black. Sonya fell off the couch and realized she wasn't in the apartment anymore.
Indeed the apartment had vanished and now she was in a black void. "HELLO! ANYONE OUT THERE?"
BANG! CRASH! FLASH!
The sound and light caused Sonya to shut her eyes and cover her ears. She started trembling. The pattern kept repeating itself every few minutes.
"STOP! PLEASE STOP!"
"Since you asked nicely, we shall," a voice spoke in her mind.
Sonya opened her eyes and saw two ladies. They appeared to be identical twins. Both had short black hair, sky blue eyes, and button noses. They both wore white chitons, had wings coming out of their backs.
There were a few differences. One twin was carrying a torch in one hand and a bundled of lightning bolts in the other. She also had a shining aureole crown. The other lady had a large shield on one arm and her expression was very stern.
"Who are you?" the teenager asked in a dreaded tone.
The one with the lightning bolt spoke first. "I am Astrape, the Goddess of Lightning"
The one with the shield quipped, "I am Bronte, Goddess of Thunder."
In unison, they proclaimed, "We are Zeus's shield maidens."
Sonya blinked in confusion. She had brushed up on her mythology after learning Percy's demigod status. "I thought Brontes and Steropes were responsible for making the weapons and producing thunder."
Bronte let out a maddened sigh. "We were named after them. Our mother thought it would please our father Zeus." It was clear she was unhappy about being named after an elder cyclops.
"Not to mention we're always paired together on the Internet. Seriously, we don't even get separate pages because we're twins!" Astrape lamented in a tired voice.
"You think that's the worst? There's only one good picture of us on Earth and it's an Apulian vase painting! We're only mentioned in the story of Dionysus's birth!" Bronte growled.
"We sit beside our father's throne and still we are not given our dues. We only managed to stay alive because our names refer to lightning and thunder. That and the Romans named me Fulgora."
Bronte gave her sister a bitter look. "At least the Romans remembered you! They didn't give me a counterpart. I had to hang onto your coattails just to survive the move. Heck, I don't even have symbols of my own besides the mention of my shield. That's unfair!"
Sonya was starting to worry they were going to start fighting. If they did then she might get hurt in the process. "Okay, calm down. You two have some issues to work out with one another. Right now, can you please tell me why you brought me here?"
The twin goddesses landed on the ground and conjured three fluffy clouds for the trio to sit on. The teenager hesitantly got on her cloud. It felt solid enough so she relaxed a smidge.
Astrape cleared her throat. "We have brought you here to ask for your assistance, more precisely, to assist our brother Apollo in his quest to free Delphi from Python."
Sonya's jaw dropped and she felt her eyes trying to pop out. She couldn't have heard that right. "Me? You want me to help Apollo? I'm not a demigod! If your brother needs help, why don't you help him?"
"Because Daddy Zeus, won't let anyone help him. Well, at least the more powerful ones. He doesn't pay a lot of attention to minor gods/goddesses or daemons."
"Our kind has been selecting ordinary mortals to help Apollo out."
"Technically, Hestia and Hera mortals, the Acolytes and Champions, were the first humans to assist Apollo," Bronte interrupted.
Astrape glared at her twin for interrupting her. Bronte gave her an apologetic smile. Her twin pointed to her own eyes then back to Bronte's letting her know she was keeping an eye on her.
Astrape explained to Sonya how Apollo was completing his quest with ordinary humans during each leg. He and his demigod master were heading back to New York and the twins had decided they would choose his final helper.
"The final mortal has to be someone impressive and related to someone famous."
"Why is that?" Sonya asked in a guarded tone.
Bronte took this one. "Because if the mortal related to an important demigod assists Apollo, then the Olympians might finally keep their promises to us minor gods/goddesses."
It clicked in Sonya's mind what the twins were talking about. When Percy and Camp Half-Blood had saved Olympus, Zeus had given him a boon. Her step-cousin had asked for the Olympians to claim their demigod children before they turned thirteen.
He also had asked for them to let the minor gods/goddesses have cabins at the camp to honor them. During the war against Gaia, Percy's friend Jason had promised to build temples to worship the minorities, along with selling merchandise to make people aware of them.
Her step-cousin had mentioned the Olympians had been finding reasons to not fulfill their end of the bargain. It appeared the minor gods/goddesses were trying to circumvent the Olympians to get what they wanted.
"Let me get this straight. You hope because I'm related to Percy and that if I help Apollo regain his godhood, he'll owe you two a favor. A favor which is pressuring the other members of the Olympians to keep their promises to the minor gods/goddesses."
The twins nodded, pleased that the mortal figured their plan out. "Will you help us, please?" the twins begged together.
"How do you expect me to help your brother? I can't even leave the apartment because the city scares me too much! I don't even know how to throw a punch!"
The twins put their heads together and started whispering to one another. Why they were whispering was a mystery since Sonya didn't know how to speak Greek.
The duo concluded their conversation. Astrape put down her torch and held a lightning bolt in each hand. Her eyes flashed yellow and the two bolts became a pair of lightning-style earrings.
Bronte pulled out a single rivet and transformed it into a medallion for the teenager to wear. "Here, you can use these to protect yourself with. They contain a very tiny amount of our power so you can use them safely. Any questions?"
Sonya cautiously put on the jewelry and replied, "Two questions. One, how sure are you that Apollo will come to my apartment looking for help?"
"Two, what are you going to do if I'm successful in helping Apollo, and his word still isn't enough to get the Olympians to keep their promises?"
"Apollo has no other allies in the city. If he hopes to stand a chance against Emperor Nero then he'll be coming to look for Percy," Astrape stated in a confident tone. "With your step-cousin gone, the next logical choice is to ask for your help."
Bronte rubbed her hands together creating mini thunder booms. "To answer your second question our kind is coming up with a backup plan. We'll tell you more about it later."
Before Sonya could say anything else, the twins disappeared in a crash of thunder and a flash of lightning. The cloud seat vanished and the teenager felt herself falling.
Sonya lurched awake and started panting heavily. She was still on the couch. Opening the blinds she saw that the sun was up. "It was just a dream. All those stories Percy told me probably gave me so weird dreams."
After a good stretch, she headed to the bathroom to start her morning routine. Looking in the mirror she caught a glimpse of something sparkly in her ears. Brushing her hair out of the way she unmistakably saw a pair of lightning bolt earrings.
She felt under her pajama top and clasped her fingers around the medallion. Last night's dream had been real. "I hope Aunt Sally and Uncle Paul know how to help me handled this situation."
Her uncle and aunt handled the news remarkably well. Instead of swearing or collapsing, they both looked exasperated by the situation.
Paul took a big guzzle from his coffee mug. "I had a hunch we weren't done with Percy's paternal family yet. I had hoped whatever it was wouldn't happen for several years."
Sally squeezed his hands. "I know this is awkward to say, but I'm glad Estelle isn't involved in this." She hugged her daughter a little tighter. "I'm sorry Sonya. I hope you understand where I'm coming from."
"I do Aunt Sally. You've had enough worries to last several lifetimes. At least Percy told me enough stories so I'm not completely clueless about quests."
The adults nodded and exchanged a look. Paul put on his coat and grabbed his bus pass. "Come along, Sonya. If you're going to be involved with godly quest soon, you'll need some decent clothes and a few other supplies."
"I'll prepare some research. Every bit of knowledge helps," Sally informed her. She watched her husband and niece leave before letting out a breath she had been holding.
Her eyes shifted over to the poster of Poseidon still on the wall. "I know you're always looking out for Percy. This time, could you also look after my niece, please? I don't want to have to tell Percy his new cousin died."