I do not own Harry Potter or Percy Jackson.
Chapter Ten: Home
It was very simple to manipulate the mortals' minds into a plausible story that did not involve monsters, magic, or gods.
According to the L.A. news, the explosion at the Santa Monica beach was caused when a crazy kidnapper fired a gun at a police car. He accidentally hit a gas main that had ruptured during the earthquake. This crazy kidnapper (a.k.a. Ares) was the same man who had abducted Percy, his mother, and his two best friends from New York, followed by the abduction of heiress Amy Potter-Black, before bringing them across the country on a ten-day odyssey of terror.
Poor little Percy Jackson wasn't an international criminal after all. The crazy criminal had caused the explosion at the St. Louis Arch when Percy nearly got away from him. A concerned waitress in Denver had seen the man threatening his abductees inside and outside her diner, with Amy being prevented from using her credit card, as it could be used to track them. The waitress had a friend take a photo and then had notified the police.
Finally, brave Percy Jackson had stolen a gun from his captor in Los Angeles and battled him shotgun-to-rifle on the beach. Police had arrived just in time. But in the spectacular explosion, five police cars had been destroyed and the captor had fled. No fatalities had occurred. Amy Potter-Black, Percy Jackson, and his two friends were safely in police custody.
Chrysa played the reporters the entire time, leaving the kids the only job of acting tearful and exhausted victims.
"What was this man's motive?" one of the reporter asked.
"I was taken because of both my money and a family heirloom that only I know the location of. It's here in Los Angeles, which is why that man dragged us all the way across the country. Percy and his friends were kidnapped as hostages to convince me to give up the item," Chrysa said.
"But why these kids?" another reporter demanded.
Chrysa wiped away a tear that had fallen.
"Percy's father was my father's long-lost brother. Percy never met his father, nor did I meet my uncle, and my father died as a baby, so I didn't know that he existed until recently. Percy and his mother were on their way to meet up with me for the first time when they were kidnapped. They're my only living family, so Percy was taken, and his best friends were taken with them, as they were spending the weekend together," she announced. "The man's other thugs kept Sally back in New York, and I hope that my aunt will be returned home safely. But now, I need to get my cousin and his friends back home to their families. I'm taking them to the airport right away."
They had to go through another round of questioning at LAX, but Chrysa got all three of them on the plane. When reporters asked her what she was doing, she replied, "I'm going to my LA house, showering, changing, eating, and then I'm going to move the artifact my kidnapper was after so he'll never be able to find it again."
That wasn't quite the truth. She did go to her LA house, but only so the reporters would stop following her. Once inside, she immediately shadow-travelled back to the Underworld.
Hades was waiting for her, looking much calmer now.
"What do we do now?" he asked as he took the Helm of Darkness from her and wrapped her in an embrace.
"Well, the kids' flight doesn't take off for another hour, and it's a six-hour flight from here to New York City, so I'd say we have about six hours to do whatever we want before I have to give my report to Zeus and Poseidon," Chrysa said teasingly, before she pressed her lips to his.
Seven hours later, Chrysa was dressed to the nines in a white chiton edged in gold, golden jewelry around her neck, and golden flowers in her hair.
"You look beautiful," Hades murmured in her ear as he came up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.
"Why thank you," Chrysa replied. "But I'll never make it to Olympus if you don't let go."
"I don't want you to go to Olympus," Hades pouted.
Chrysa laughed and kissed his cheek.
"I'll be back before you know it. Tonight I'll go to Olympus and back to Camp Half-Blood, tomorrow's my dinner party, and I'll come back home in a week."
Hades sighed with exaggerated despondence.
"I supposed I'll survive."
Chrysa pulled him in for one last kiss – a long, lingering one – before saying, "I'll see you soon, my love," and shadow-travelling back to Olympus.
She appeared in the throne room. Only Zeus and Poseidon were present, arguing back and forth as they waited for Percy Jackson to arrive.
Zeus, as usual, was dressed in a pinstriped, three-piece suit. Poseidon wore a slightly tacky Hawaiian shirt, shorts, and Beachcombers.
"Father, Uncle," Chrysa greeted with a bow. "It is a pleasure to see you again."
"Daughter," Zeus greeted with a nod. "I assume you have returned Hades' missing item to him."
"I have," Chrysa said with a smile. "I assume you have been watching?"
Both gods frowned.
"Our vision has been clouded," Poseidon admitted. "What happened? Who had the Master Bolt?"
"Ares," Chrysa said.
"Ares?" both gods asked in shock.
"He was not the original thief," Chrysa said. He found the thief, reclaimed the Master Bolt and the Helm of Darkness, but was convinced by the thief's original commander to keep the items in order to start a three-way war between the gods. He very nearly succeeded."
"Who was the original thief's commander?" Zeus asked sharply. "And who was the original thief?"
"I do not know who the original thief was," Chrysa admitted. "I do know his commander, and it is ill news."
"Who, Chrysa?" Poseidon urged.
"Kronos," Chrysa said firmly.
Both gods looked shocked.
"It cannot be Kronos," Zeus said.
"It is."
"He is dead! Destroyed! I chopped him to pieces myself! You were there!" Zeus exclaimed, rising from his chair.
"I was. I was also there for the four thousand years of Kronos' life before you were born, so I hope you believe me when I say I know what I saw."
"It cannot be," Zeus nearly whispered, slumping back onto his platinum throne.
"She is correct, brother. Of all those living, only Leuke and Rhea are likely to be able to identify Kronos so easily," Poseidon pointed out. "She would know better than we would if Father was returning."
Zeus still looked uneasy.
"I would hear Perseus Jackson's report," he finally said. "He has already entered Mount Olympus. He will be here shortly."
"I will hide myself," Chrysa said, stepping around the thrones to conceal herself behind Zeus'. As the thrones were sized for ten-foot-tall immortals, and she was only five and a half feet, it was easy to stand behind the platinum monstrosity.
Chrysa soon heard footsteps as Percy entered the room. She expected he went to Poseidon's throne first.
"Father," he greeted.
"Should you not address the master of this house first, boy?" Zeus questioned.
"Peace, brother," Poseidon said. "The boy defers to his father. That is only right."
"You still claim him, then?" Zeus asked menacingly. "You claim this child whom you sired against our sacred oath."
"I have admitted my wrongdoing," Poseidon said. "Now I would hear him speak."
"I have spared him once already," Zeus grumbled. "Daring to fly through my domain…pah! I should have blasted him out of the sky for his impudence."
"And risk destroying your own Master Bolt?" Poseidon asked calmly. "Let us hear him out, brother."
Zeus grumbled a bit more.
"I shall listen," he decided. "Then I shall make up my mind whether or not to cast this boy down from Olympus."
"Perseus," Poseidon said. "Look at me."
"Address Lord Zeus, boy," Poseidon instructed. "Tell him your story."
Percy began his recounting, telling everything that had happened since the attack by Alecto at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Chrysa could hear the point where Percy removed the Master Bolt from his backpack and laid it at Zeus' feet. The weapon crackled with immense power.
There was a long silence after that, broken only by the hearth fire. Finally, the crackling that heralded Zeus reclaiming his bolt occurred.
"I sense the boy tells the truth," Zeus muttered. "But that Ares would do such a thing…it is most unlike him."
"He is proud and impulsive," Poseidon said. "It runs in the family."
If that wasn't a jab at Zeus' ego, Chrysa didn't know what was.
"Lord?" Percy asked.
"Yes?" both answered.
"Ares didn't act alone. Someone else – something else – came up with the idea."
Percy described his dreams, and the feeling he'd had on the beach, the momentary breath of evil that had seemed to stop the world and prevented Ares from killing him.
"In the dreams," Percy said, "the voice told me to bring the bolt to the Underworld. Ares hinted that he'd been having dreams, too. I think he was being used, just as I was, to start a war."
"You are accusing Hades, after all?" Zeus questioned.
"No," Percy said. "I mean, Lord Zeus, I've been in the presence of Hades. This feeling on the beach was different. It was the same thing I felt when I got close to that pit. That was the entrance to Tartarus, wasn't it? Something powerful and evil is stirring down there…something even older than the gods."
"It IS Father," Poseidon said in Ancient Greek. "It has to be."
"How could he have reformed so much without us knowing?" Zeus questioned in the same language.
"It's not like we have a Tartarus prison check," Poseidon scoffed. "Even we hesitate to go down there, brother. I doubt Hades would have gone without Leuke, and I am under the impression that they have other things on their minds when they are together. Perhaps we could…"
Zeus cut him off. "I don't think that's necessary."
"But we need to be prepared in case of a war!" Poseidon argued.
"We will speak of this no more," Zeus said, returning to English. "I must go personally to purify this thunderbolt in the waters of Lemnos, to remove the human taint from the metal."
He rose from his seat.
"You have done me a service, boy," Zeus said. "Few heroes could have accomplished as much."
"I had help, sir," Percy said. "Grover Underwood and Annabeth Chase and Chrysa Potter – Chrysa said she'd meet me here, but the last thing I knew, she was back in the Underworld. Is she okay?"
"I'm fine, Percy," Chrysa said, stepping out from behind her father's throne and striding forward to embrace her cousin. He returned it tightly.
"I was worried," he said quietly. "It was dangerous for you to go to the Underworld alone."
"Hades knows better than to keep me there against my will," Chrysa said firmly.
"If we are done…?" Zeus said drily. "To show you my thanks, boy, I shall spare your life. I do not trust you, Perseus Jackson. I do not like what your arrival means for the future of Olympus. But for the sake of peace in the family, I shall let you live."
"Um…thank you sir," Percy said.
"Do not presume to fly again. Do not let me find you here when I return. Otherwise you shall taste this bolt. And it shall be your last sensation. Chrysa, Brother, I shall see you at dinner tomorrow."
Thunder shook the palace. With a blinding flash of lightning, Zeus was gone.
"Your uncle," Poseidon told Percy, "has always had a flair for dramatic exits. I think he would have done well as the god of theater."
An uncomfortable silence ensued.
Chrysa leaned over and kissed the top of Percy's head.
"I'll wait outside. You two need to talk. Uncle, I'll see you tomorrow. Percy, I'll be right outside to take you to see your mom."
"She's back?" Percy said, face brightening.
Chrysa nodded.
"Hades returned her. I saw him do it. I'll see you in a bit."
She walked out the main entrance to the throne room and shut the doors behind her.
Percy and Poseidon's conference did not last long. When Percy came out, he seemed to be in a kind of daze. Chrysa simply grasped his arm and led him through the streets of Olympus, back to the Empire State Building entrance.
As they walked by, conversations stopped. The Muses paused their concert. People and satyrs and naiads all turned towards them, their faces filled with respect and gratitude, and they knelt as they passed, honoring Percy as a hero.
It took fifteen minutes to get back to the streets of Manhattan from the throne room. Chrysa hailed a taxi, bundled Percy inside, and then told the driver the address of Percy's mother's apartment. Percy was still too out of it to even realize that she shouldn't know where she lived.
Percy rang the doorbell, and a woman opened the door, weariness and worry evaporating from her face as soon as she saw him.
"Percy! Oh, thank goodness! Oh, my baby."
She embraced Percy in a tight hug as they both cried. Sally Jackson was running her fingers through Percy's hair as Percy shook in her arms. Chrysa stayed a respectful distance away.
When they finally broke apart somewhat, Sally noticed Chrysa.
"Who's this?" she asked with a smile.
"Chrysa Potter, Mrs. Jackson," Chrysa said with a smile, extending her hand. "I'm Percy's cousin on his father's side."
Sally froze slightly.
"Oh?" she asked. "May I ask who your parent is?"
"My father is the Sky Lord," Chrysa replied. "I've been looking after Percy these past few weeks. Do you know what has happened?"
Sally shook her head.
"I appeared at the apartment this morning. I think I scared Gabe half out of his wits – Gabe's my husband…"
"I know," Chrysa said gently. "Percy told me."
Sally took a deep breath and continued.
"I don't remember anything since the Minotaur. Gabe told me that Percy was a wanted criminal, traveling across the country, blowing up national monuments. I didn't want to believe him. I've been going out of my mind with worry all day. Gabe made me go to work. He said that I have a month's salary to make up, and I needed to get started."
Percy looked like he was trying to hold back his anger. Chrysa felt the same way, but she was much more adept at hiding her true emotions. Percy began to relate the story of his own quest. He was blurring the details, trying to make it seem less scary, but it didn't help much. He had just reached the fight with Ares when a man's voice called, "Hey, Sally! That meat loaf done yet or what?"
Sally closed her eyes.
"He isn't going to happy to see you, Percy. He seemed gleeful that you were thought of as a criminal."
"Maybe my presence will curb his temper a bit?" Chrysa offered. "It's not the best idea to anger your stepson's wealthy cousin, and I'm sure Gabe has seen that news. It has been playing on all the news channels."
Sally smiled weakly at her.
"Percy, just don't make him angrier, all right? Come on."
Sally led them into the apartment, which looked like it had been in the possession of a male slob for a month – which it had. Chrysa subtly cast a charm around her head to block out the smell. She did the same for Percy, who looked towards her gratefully.
A man Chrysa identified as Gabe Ugliano was playing poker at the table with three large friends. When Gabe saw Percy, his cigar dropped out of his mouth and his face turned a brilliant shade of red.
"You got nerve coming here, you little punk. I thought the police…"
"He's not a fugitive after all," Sally interjected. "Isn't that wonderful, Gabe?"
Gabe looked between the two of them, but he did not notice Chrysa as she stood in the background.
"Bad enough I had to give back your life insurance money, Sally," Gabe growled. "Get me the phone. I'll call the cops."
"Gabe, no!"
The brute of a man raised his eyebrows.
"Did you just say 'no'? You think I'm gonna put up with this punk again? I can still press charges against him for ruining my Camaro."
"But…" Sally said.
Gabe raised his hand, and Sally flinched.
Chrysa chose that moment to intervene, stepping out of the shadows and into the light.
"Excuse me," she said frostily, stepping forward. "But if I see one more implication of domestic abuse, then it will be me pressing charges on behalf of Sally and Percy."
"Who're you?" Gabe growled.
"Amaranth Potter-Black," Chrysa shot back. "I'm sure you've heard my name in connection with my cousin's –" she gestured towards Percy "– on the news channels?"
Gabe had paled.
"I wasn't really – I mean…" he stammered.
"I don't believe you," Chrysa replied frostily. "However, I will not press charges if Sally does not want me to."
She glanced over at the woman, who hesitated, then shook her head. Chrysa nodded in response, then turned back to Gabe.
"Percy Jackson is not a fugitive anymore," Chrysa stated. "He was cleared earlier after I gave my statement that my cousin, his best friends, and I were kidnapped by a man seeking an heirloom of my family. Sally was also kidnapped, but she was kept sedated here in New York while my cousin, his friends, and I were dragged across the country by the madman. The police have the story. Most of the news channels are playing it. Percy is a hero – he managed to steal a gun from our captor and went toe-to-toe with him, pistol on rifle, in Santa Monica. If you would refrain from further impinging on my cousin's honor, I would be much obliged."
Gabe sat there, dumbfounded.
"Why don't you show me your room, Percy?" Chrysa said, turning to her cousin. Percy nodded, looking pleased at what she had done. Chrysa took Sally's arm as well and pulled her along with them.
Percy's room had been filled completely with things that belonged to Gabe Ugliano. There were stacks of used car batteries, beer cans, and a rotting bouquet of sympathy flowers with a card from someone who had seen the Barbara Walters interview.
"Gabe is just upset, honey," Sally told Percy. "I'll talk to him later. I'm sure it will work out."
"Mom, it'll never work out. Not as long as Gabe's here," Percy said.
Sally wrung her hands nervously.
"I can…I'll take you to work with me for the rest of the summer. In the fall, maybe there's another boarding school…"
"Mom," Percy cut her off.
She lowered her eyes. "I'm trying, Percy. I just…I need some time."
Chrysa noticed a package appear on Percy's bed. She recognized it.
"Percy," she said. When he looked over at her, she gestured towards the bed.
The battered cardboard box that Percy had used to ship Medusa's head to the Olympians now sat on his bed. The address on the mailing slip was the same one Percy had written, but another hand had written over it – Chrysa recognized Poseidon's handwriting. The black marker had the apartment on it and the words: Return to Sender.
Percy looked up at his mother.
"Mom, do you want Gabe gone?"
"Percy, it isn't that simple. I…"
"Mom, just tell me. That jerk has been hitting you. Do you want him gone or not?"
She hesitated, then nodded almost imploringly.
"Yes, Percy. I do. And I'm trying to get up my courage to tell him. But you can't do this for me. You can't solve my problems."
Percy hesitated, then said, "I can do it. One look inside this box, and he'll never bother you again."
Sally glanced at the package, and seemed to understand immediately.
"No, Percy," she said, stepping away. "You can't."
"Poseidon called you a queen," Percy insisted. "He said he hadn't met a woman like you in a thousand years.
Her cheeks flushed.
"Percy…"
"You deserve better than this, Mom," Percy said. "You should go to college, get your degree. You can write your novel, meet a nice guy maybe, live in a nice house. You don't need to protect me anymore by staying with Gabe. Let me get rid of him."
Sally wiped a tear off her cheek.
"You sound so much like your father," she said. "He offered to stop the tide for me once. He offered to build me a palace at the bottom of the sea. He thought he could solve all my problems with a wave of his hand."
"What's wrong with that?" Percy asked.
"I think you know, Percy," Sally said gently. "I think you're enough like me to understand. If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself. I can't let a god take care of me…or my son. I have to…find courage on my own. Your quest has reminded me of that."
Those in the room were quiet for a moment, but the sounds of poker chips, swearing, and ESPN filtered into the room.
"I'll leave the box," Percy said. "If he threatens you…"
She looked pale, but she nodded and asked, "Where will you go, Percy?"
"Half-Blood Hill."
"For the summer…or forever?"
"I guess that depends," Percy replied.
They locked eyes, and Chrysa could see the unspoken agreement that passed between them.
Sally kissed Percy's forehead.
"You'll be a hero, Percy. You'll be the greatest of them all." She looked over at Chrysa. "You'll watch out for him? For me?"
"Of course," Chrysa said firmly. "He's family. And I don't have much of that."
Sally nodded.
Chrysa reached into her purse and pulled out a business card. She handed it over to Sally.
"That's my personal cell number on that," she said. "When you get rid of the jerk, give me a call. I can help you get set up on your own. I know you want to live your own life, but there's nothing wrong with getting a little help."
Sally nodded again, a small smile on her face.
"I'll remember that."
Percy grabbed a few things from his bedroom and embraced his mother once again. Then, all three walked to the front door.
"Leaving so soon, punk?" Gabe called after them. "Good riddance."
Percy looked angry.
"Hey, Sally," Gabe yelled. "What about that meat loaf, huh?"
A steely look of anger flared in Sally Jackson's eyes.
"The meat loaf is coming right up, dear," Sally said. "Meat loaf surprise."
She looked at Percy and winked. The last thing Percy and Chrysa saw before the door swung closed was Sally staring at Gabe, as if she were contemplating how he would look as a garden statue.
Instead of taking a taxi back to Camp Half-Blood, Chrysa offered an alternate transportation route.
"Most people feel ill on their first try," she told him. "It's going to be a sharp twisting sensation, and then you'll feel like your whole body is being dragged through a straw. It's uncomfortable, but practically instantaneous. You up for it?"
"Sure," Percy agreed.
Chrysa took his arm and twisted on her heel, immediately Apparating to Half-Blood Hill, just outside the wards.
Percy stumbled as they landed.
"That was awful," he said, looking queasy.
"I warned you," Chrysa shrugged.
"How do you do that all the time?" he demanded.
"Practice. Plus, it's easier to do it yourself than it is to be dragged along with someone else."
Annabeth and the satyr were waiting for them with Chiron at the Big House. Dionysus was there is well.
"Oh, you survived," he said with a sigh. "Oh well."
Chiron ignored him.
"Congratulations, Percy, on your successful quest. Annabeth and Grover have told me what happened, but I would like to know your side of the story."
For the third time that day, Percy related his story. He concluded by saying, "My dad said that the thing in the pit was Kronos, but Zeus didn't seem to think so."
"My father does not like admitting it when there are threats to his power," Chrysa said. "Trust me, Percy, when I say he believed it. He does not want to cause panic though. The Elder Gods will meet within the next few days to discuss this, possibly with the Olympian Council being brought in afterwards. But it will be those who fought Kronos the first time who convene first."
"You are certain it was Kronos?" Chiron asked her.
"Positive. I also spoke with Lord Hades when I returned the Helm of Darkness. He admitted that things in the pit have been stirring of late."
"That is ill news," Chiron said, stroking his beard. "We will see what we need to do to prepare."
"War is coming," Chrysa said. "Everyone must be ready to fight."
"I'll see to it," Chiron promised.
An unspoken agreement passed between them.
"Well, now I believe that there is a feast waiting for our returning heroes, followed by a processional and the burning of the shrouds," Chiron said. "We should probably get to it."
Chrysa sat with Percy at the feast and tried to keep his mind on light topics, rather than his mother's situation and the upcoming war. Annabeth, Percy, and the satyr all had golden laurels. Someone had tried to give laurels to Chrysa as well, but she had declined them, saying that it wasn't her quest.
At the burning of the shrouds, there were only three. Annabeth's was a beautiful grey silk with embroidered owls. The satyr's was brown with leaves on it. Percy's had been created by Ares cabin, who had taken an old bedsheet and painted smiley faces with X'ed out eyes around the border, and the word Loser painted across the center. Percy looked like he enjoyed burning it.
Dionysus' welcome-home speech was lacking.
"Yes, yes, so the little brat didn't get himself killed and now he'll have an even bigger head. Well, huzzah for that. In other announcements, there will be no canoe races this Saturday…"
The next evening, Chrysa found herself dressed to the nines on Hades' arm as they entered the five-star Greek restaurant Nerai. She had spent most of the day with Sally Jackson, who had indeed used Medusa's head on Gabe Ugliano. Chrysa arranged for the statue to be sold to an art museum, and moved all of Sally and Percy's things into an apartment in Chrysa's building before Sally could say a word in protest.
"I own the building, so your rent and utilities are free," Chrysa said as she carried the last box inside, a dumbfounded Sally behind her. "You'll still need to buy groceries and such, but if you ever need help with anything, just call me. It won't be a problem, unless I'm working. I work for an unnamed god between the months of March and September, normally, so I won't always be available if you try to contact me then, but I'll come as soon as I can. The apartment has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The master bedroom also has an attached study, which I believe you'll find useful for your writing. Percy has to share a bathroom with any guests, so I'd recommend keeping an eye on that. Everyone who works in the building knows you're family, so they should treat you with all the respect you deserve," she finished.
Sally still seemed in shock.
"I can't – I can't accept this," she finally said.
"Of course you can," Chrysa replied. "Take the money from Gabe's statue and use it to go to school. Get your degree. Write like you've always wanted to. Meet a nice guy. Fall in love. Be happy, Sally."
The woman took a fortifying breath.
"Alright," she said, gathering her strength. "I can do that."
That evening, Hades and Chrysa entered the restaurant together.
"Good evening," Chrysa greeted the hostess. "We have a reservation for a private room under the name Theos."
The hostess checked her list.
"Yes, of course. Is the rest of your party here?"
"No, they will be arriving separately," Hades said smoothly.
The hostess led them to the private room, which had an extensive collection of wines on one wall. Hades moved over to look at them.
The next to arrive was Rhea.
"Leuke, darling, you look wonderful!" she said as she embraced her former companion.
"Why thank you, my Queen," Chrysa replied with a dazzling smile.
Her emerald green gown was of the finest silk, and had a thigh-high slit on the left side, exposing acres of pale skin. The gown was trimmed in gold at the top, and thin gold chains also made up the only straps of the dress. She wore a gold and emerald necklace, and had gold chandelier earrings hanging from her ears. The outfit was completed by elbow-length emerald gloves and a black silk drape.
The rest of their party arrived soon after. All in all, there were ten of them: Chrysa, Hades, Rhea, Amphitrite, Poseidon, Hera, Zeus, Hestia, Demeter, and Persephone.
Rhea sat at the head of the table with Chrysa to her right and Amphitrite to her left. Hades was beside Chrysa, with Persephone beside him and Demeter beside her. Poseidon sat beside Amphitrite, then Hestia, then Hera. Zeus took the foot of the table.
Conversation remained light until after the main course had been served. Then, Chrysa took charge.
"Kronos is returning," she said bluntly.
All conversation stopped and focused on her.
"I have felt him. He influenced the thief who stole both the Master Bolt and the Helm of Darkness. He tried to pull Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, satyr Grover Underwood, and myself into Tartarus. He spoke to Percy in dreams. I felt his presence. He is returning," she stated firmly.
Hades nodded.
"I concur. The inhabitants of Tartarus have grown much more active of late."
"Father is the only one able to cause the circumstances Leuke described," Poseidon volunteered.
Rhea gave Chrysa a considering look.
"If what you say is true, you are in grave danger, my dear," she said quietly.
Chrysa ducked her head involuntarily.
"I know."
"If Father is returning, we are all in grave danger," Demeter pointed out.
"But the rest of you are merely usurpers," Rhea said. "Leuke, Amphitrite, and I…we are traitors."
"And Leuke is the biggest traitor of us all," Amphitrite added.
Hestia, Hera, Demeter, and Persephone looked confused.
"I don't understand," Hera said.
"You weren't there when we finished Kronos off," Zeus said tiredly. "We had toppled Mount Othrys, yes, but Kronos was still powerful. He could have still fought enough to stop us, except Leuke finally revealed her true loyalties."
"I stood at Kronos' side through the entirety of the Titanomachy," Chrysa explained to Persephone. "I was the spy, the informant. In the end, I was also the assassin."
"Leuke carved Kronos' heart out of his chest," Hades told the assembled company. "He didn't even know she had betrayed him until she started cutting into him."
"He was still alive when I did it," Chrysa said in a subdued voice. "My shadows held him down. He couldn't escape. He talked the entire time. He told me that maybe they should have waited to kill Ouranos until I was there, because then he wouldn't have had to rely on his brothers. Not when he had such a valuable weapon at his disposal. When he realized that I truly was betraying him, he named me Leuke Prodotis and declared, 'Shadows and secrets have ever been your domain, but from now until the end of days, you will ever be the patron of traitors, so that all may remember that treachery is in your name.'"
"He will hunt you," Rhea stated.
"He will," Chrysa agreed with a sigh. "The worst is, we can't even know if he knows I'm alive again. He could have acquired the fact from Ares' mind. He could have been told by someone on the Dark Council. We don't know."
"The Dark Council?" Hera asked. "What's the Dark Council?"
"It's the council for all the darker deities," Chrysa explained. "Unlike the High Council, we don't limit ourselves to twelve members, but we also don't care if you never show up. Most people don't show up, actually. We usually only have twelve sitting members, but everyone else is allowed to show up."
"How long has that been going on?" Zeus asked, flabbergasted.
"The only member of the Council younger than me is Melinoe," Hades deadpanned.
Jaws dropped all over the table.
"Most of the council members are the children of Nyx and the children of Eris," Chrysa explained. "Chaos, Nyx, Erebos, and Tartarus all have seats on the council, but I don't think any of them have shown up since before I died. The usual members are myself, Hades, Melinoe, Hecate, Pallas, Perses, Eris, Nemesis, Styx, Dolos, Hypnos, and Thanatos. But others have shown up since I've been back. All of Nyx' and Eris' children know I'm back. Any one of them could have told Kronos if he's made them a nice enough offer."
"As soon as Kronos knows Leuke is back, she will be a target," Rhea said firmly. "As soon as he knows her mortal identity, she will be even more of one. Do any of the campers know who you are, Leuke?"
"The only people to know that Leuke is Chrysa Potter are the Olympian Council and those in this room," Chrysa said firmly.
"Our parents and some of our sisters have seen her, but she did not give them her name," Amphitrite added.
"I am as safe as I can be," Chrysa sighed. "And I doubt I truly need to worry until Kronos himself or at least my uncles rise. It is very difficult to get the drop on me, and it requires cutting me off from the shadows as well as overwhelming force to defeat me. I know that from personal experience."
Everyone winced at the reminder of Leuke's first death.
"I know it was the Giants, but which ones?" Hestia asked quietly. "You've never told us."
Chrysa was quiet for a moment.
"Alcyoneus struck the killing blow," she finally said. "But only because I'd already killed the other two. Their names were Chthonion and Hyperbios. Chthonion was my counter. Hyperbios was Thanatos'."
"We never encountered them later…" Poseidon asked, confused.
Chrysa drew her favorite knife from its hidden sheath on her thigh. The black blade seemed to absorb the candlelight around them, and a wisp of shadows danced around its edge.
"Stygian Iron," she said. "They were absorbed. Gaea might be able to reclaim them, if the rest come back, the pair might be with them, but I don't know. I don't know what she can do with Stygian Iron. There are so few of us that use it, we haven't really gotten beyond the monsters-don't-come-back part. In theory, being the primordial of the Earth, there is a chance that Gaea can bring them back."
"Even if they never come back, you are forgetting one thing, Leuke," Hades said, his hand grasping Chrysa's own tightly. "You're not truly immortal anymore."
"I know," Chrysa said. "I'll be careful. I'll keep my guard up."
"Even at Camp and home?" Hades questioned, a hint of fear entering his voice.
Chrysa laid her hand on his cheek and turned her face to his. She kissed him chastely – once, twice, three times, allowing the last kiss to linger.
"Even at Camp and at home, darling. I won't make you lose me again."
The rest of the table had politely looked away, with the exception of Persephone and Rhea. Persephone was a bit of a voyeur when it came to her husband and his consort. Rhea just liked witnessing happy, loving relationships, given that she was deprived of one herself.
"He's not the only one who would miss you, Leuke," Hestia said quietly. "You mean a great deal to all of us."
Chrysa blushed slightly as everyone around the table nodded in agreement.
"I shudder to think what my brother – both of my brothers – would be like if you died once more," Poseidon said drily.
"I will be careful," Chrysa promised again. "As long as I am watching, there is nothing that can get past me. Shadows are everywhere, after all."