So Here's the next chapter. I'm really sorry for being so late, but I had a few problems in life and had absolutely no inspiration for writing.

As such I've made another cut. I seem to do this a lot.

Also: This chapter is NOT BETAd! I haven't been able to contact and have waited over a week. I couldn't wait anymore and will give this chapter to you non-Betad. I will later replace it once it's betad. Hopefully it's soon.

Many thanks to all of you who have waited patiently! Special Thanks to dogbisquit1967 who had been very encouraging after my last AN.

Also: Is the purring of the 'r's from David and Jaíza that annoying? Should I leave it out in the next chapter? I'll put up a tiny poll on my Profile, so please check it out!

Here are the answers to the Review:

tvman24: Yeah, I'm sorry about that. This chapter is hopefully longer.

Lucky Guard, Lourdes08, Anastasia Victoria Black, oOAngelwithaBrokenHaloOo, NicoleR85, Islandercick209, Hikari Nova, Jeanne, Lizabeth Black, SATO, Guest#3, Guest#4, Mari Wollsch : Thank You!

Pyr0maniacally: I'm Sorry Q.Q I didn't do it on purpose

Sblck: Thank You! You are not alone in this, my friened. Recording it hadn't been really anything I had thought about. He will most likely use a hidden mirror as a „live" showing.

Crimson Dragon Devil: Thank You! Isis was supposed to be in this chapter, but I seem to keep on shortening my chapters and cutting them, so she'll be in the next one. When/If they are seen, most will simply be a bit... eh... respectless? Bitchy? About a „Greek God" being there. The tensions are there between Greek and Egyptian, but they are less than before already.

TheDragonLovesThePrincess: First thing, awesome name! Secondly, maybe...maybe not...

zaira: Eh... I just say Thank you, 'cause I'm not sure what you mean. I sadly don't understand it.

Guest#1: Thank You! I think most don't do the Egyptian gods.

DewilspawnINTHEHOUSE: One thing, she doesn't need to hide it from them. Second thing, the reason they smell it is because the Egyptian gods are based on animals and in this case, cat and dog/jackal, they have way better noses and can smell the change in her hormones.

Emi Nicole Jackson12: I do here!

Merlin is a girl: Thanks I will!

Extended Experiance: Thank You! I have already started it, but there have been a few changes since the last post about the HP story.

CynthiaAndromeda: Here it is! I cannot wait to finally have a clear ending in mind.

Guest#2: I started the day I uploaded chapter 3. I have simply been stuck.

Dogbiscuit1967: I hadn't even realized that you had already left a comment.

Sayonara Yasashii Akumu: Thanks that you like it. The purring of the Rs is not simply her accent. It is meant as a trait from all Bast-children, Bast will talk like this too. If it's really that annoying, I'll leave it out from now on.

Winter phoenix 708: Thank you! Patience my friend.

Aritzia1998: Yeah, well, it's based on this idea as well as the Percy Jackson version of it. I read both kinds.

Rumbling Frenzy: Thanks for the Review! Well, most of the Roman/Greek is leaned on what I know of the HoO-Series. I haven't read them, but I was heavily spoilerd by fanfics. And as far as I know, the Greek and Roman are separate. With my story it is: If Greek/Roman are the same, for me it counts as only one. If they are separate, Persia is only Greek. So it's still only two cultures.

adictalalectura: Thanks for the review. It's great that you try to read it and review despite not being very good in English. Keep it up.

Arthena818: NOOOOO, I DON'T WANT TO GO TO TARTARUS, NOOOOOOOO! Well, okay here is the next one!

Chapter 4: On the Waters of the Nile

It was shortly before dawn that we boarded our ship. I was still a bit chilly, but it had already started warming up. Jaíza had explained, that we should start traveling before it got to hot in the sun and we would overheat. During that time we would go under deck or go swimming. We could swim in the Nile or in the great pool on deck.

The ship actually came from Ahm Shere to gather some goods and bring some things to demigods who didn't live in Ahm Shere, like Steven or Amélie. The captain was a tall guy named Peter Edwards, a son of Sobek, the god of the Nile. He was tall, had brown hair, blue eyes and a deep tan. When we met at the dock, he hugged Jaíza, Veronica and Corinna, before fist bumping with David. Then he turned to mom and me.

"Morning." He said with a southern drawl. "The name's Pete. You two are the Jacksons, right? Sally and Percy?"

"Yes, good morning" Mom said. "I'm Sally Jackson, daughter of Isis, granddaughter of Thoth."

"And I'm Persia, but you can call me Percy if you want." I said and he flashed me a big grin. My face started heating up and I looked at my shoed. I wasn't normally shy, but I wasn't used to be treated like a girl, gods damn it.

"Well, then come aboard" Pete grinned showing rows of white teeth. Wait… were teeth supposed to be this pointy and sharp? Or so many? "You will have to pair up, there are two bunks in one room. Small, but tidy. Don't leave anything on the ship unless you want Lenny to eh… play with it. He gets fed at regular hours, but at breakfast you can spoil him to your hearts content. We eat on deck, next to the pool and don't be scared when Lenny swims next to you. He is well trained. And… eh, well that's it, any questions?" He had lead up on deck, next to the pool, while he was speaking and hadn't lost the smirk on his face.

"Lenny?" I asked, figuring he was some kind of pet.

Pete's grin widened before he stepped next to the pool and placed a piece of raw meat, he got from a plate on the table, on the edge. A few seconds passed, before a freaking crocodile came out of the water. With that I mean, it rose up in the middle and slowly swam near Pete.

"Good boy" Pete coed and placed the meat in it's opened mouth. He closed it slowly, it seemed, to not frighten us. He wasn't even that big, about three feet long from head to tail-tip and he moved slowly towards me. A few moments passed as we stared at each other until he nudged my hand with his snout and pointedly looked at the plate with the meat.

"It's breakfast time." Pete grinned and handed me the plate. "Spoil him all you want. Sadly, I have to get us going or we are here until tonight. Enjoy the meal." With that he grabbed a sandwich from one of the plates and left.

The rest of us looked after him until Lenny nudged at my hand againand looked at me with, what I would call, "hunger".

"I'll feed you, don't worry Lenny", I said and stepped out of my sandals to sit on the edge so I was up to my knees in the water. Lenny came nearer and laid his snout on my lap before opening his mouth expectingly.

I snorted at his impatience and fed him a bit meat. Mom watched as I patted his head before crouching at the edge of the pool and lightly patting him as well.

"Hello Lenny" She said. "I'm Sally and this is Persia."

Lenny looked at Mom, but after a few moments he looked back at me and snuggled his snout more in my lap. Jaíza and David, who sat as far away from the pool as possible while still sitting at the table, snorted in the cream milk glasses they were drinking from at that. Cory and Rony nibbled sleepily on their bread.

"Good boy" I coed and Mom chuckled before she sat into the nearest chair. She made a few slices bread with blueberry jam and put them with fresh berries on a plate she gave me.

"Thanks, Mom" I said and ate a few of the blueberries while feeding Lenny at the same time. Cory and Rony each had a cup of black espresso in their hands and simultaneously drained them in one go. The moment the cup left their lips their heads flopped down so their foreheads connected with the table with a loud thud.

"Are they okay?" Mom asked worried and leaned over to Rony who sat next to her. But upon examining her closer she sighed in relief. From my position at the pool I could hear the faint snoring from Cory.

"Don't worrrry" David purred. "They don't like morrrnings. They'll be up in about half an hourrr. That's what the esprrresso was forrr. To kickstarrrt theirrr enerrrgy."

"Okay…"Mom said skeptically and still looked slightly worried to the twins. "But on the other hand, can you tell us something about yourself? Where you are from or your family." She said towards Jaíza and David.

"David and I were borrrn in Ahm Sherrre, since ourrr motherrr is Bast. My fatherrr came frrrom Mexico and was studying arrrcheology in Boston in Amerrrica when he met Mum. She liked him because he liked cats and took in everrry strrray he found." Jaíza told us with misty eyes and ran her finger over the rim of her glass. "She rrreturrrned to Ahm Sherrre when she was prrregnant. Norrrmally the childrrren grrrow up with the morrrtal parrrent beforrre they, and sometimes the morrrtal parrrent as well, come to Ahm Sherrre. But my fatherrr had died beforrre I was even borrrn. He was shot durrring some kind of gang warrr. So I grrrew up in Ahm Sherrre. The rrreason I have an accent is because my grrrandmotherrr came to Ahm Sherrre to take carrre of me until I was old enough. I was the only family left forrr herrr and the only thing that rrreminded 'errr of my fatherrr. She died of old age a few yearrrs back."

David ran his hand over Jaíza's back and muttered a few words in her ears so low I couldn't hear them, but the blond sniffed a few times and rubbed over her eyes before going back to eating her breakfast.

"Well, afterrr I was borrrn I was send to my fatherrr and his family to Scotland. He's a veterrrinarrrian. He was alrrready marrrried with childrrren when I was borrrn and therrre was anotherrr baby on the way. My stepmotherrr was not pleased to have me therrre. Not at all. My, how many werrre they again… 5? Anyway, my sisterrrs adorrred me, but durrring the yearrrs they starrrted to trrreat me differrrently, since theirrr motherrr influenced them. They called me abnorrrmal and weirrrd and well…" David told us. " My stepmotherrr laterrr got a dog who was trrrained to hunt cats and that was the end of my stay. I prrrayed to mum to get me away and two days later the forrrmerrr morrrtal leaderrr of The Warriorrrs stood in frrront of ourrr doorrr telling me to pack and say my goodbyes. I was phew… eleven orrr so. The only one of my sisterrrs I'm still in contact with arrre the eldest, Donna, and the youngest, Rrrose. Rrrosie laterrr left and moved to London wherrre she met some doctorrr, orrr so, who she's trrraveling and having adventurrres with. I think Donna has last discoverrred some kind of scandal concerrrning diet pills orrr something."

"That's horrible" Mom said. "Didn't your father do something against your stepmother's doings?"

"When I was a toddlerrr he didn't notice anything. I mean I wasn't planned, but he still loved me and trrried to give me a happy life, but looking afterrr six childrrren and yourrr wife while you worrrk, was too much forrr him. When I was olderrr he noticed it, but then I was alrrready too late to do anything about it. My sisterrrs had alrrready taken on herrr way of seeing me and Donna and Rrrosie couldn't do much. And then I alrrready left." David explained and pulled at the collar of his shirt. He seemed to prefer to wear dress shirts and suit pants, but in the heat he pushed the sleeves up to his elbows. "But anyway, tell us something about you, now. How was your life?"

"As you know, as a daughter of Isis I was conceived through Isis placing her essence into the womb of a barren woman. My father was Jared Jackson, a son of Thoth, who had chosen to live in the states, away from being a demigod. If I remember correctly, he worked as a literature professor. My mortal mother, Linda, accepted the second she got the offer to have a baby. They were very happy to have me. When I was five they were traveling to Florida for a short romantic weekend, but their plane crashed…" Mom said and sniffed lightly.

"I was still in New York with an uncle who then took me in. I went to school and I wanted to be a writer, but in my last year in High School, my uncle got sick and I dropped out to take care of him. He then died and I was left with nearly nothing. Then I met Percy's father. I had never met someone like him, he was so gentle and sweet and he was ready to do anything for me should I ask. But I wanted to live my own life and not as some second wife he hides away. I didn't tell him that Persia was a girl. I was too affright what might happen when his brother's would find out. I married a mortal who I knew had such a repulsing stench it would cover up Persia's scent from monsters and keep her safe. It went well for a few years, but this man… he hit me and I suspected he hit Persia as well, but I always thought it would keep her safe from monsters and with him not knowing she was a girl, he would not… think about…" Mom swallowed thickly and looked at me with a sadness I haven't seen often. "Then Persia found out what she was and I was taken hostage. As I was freed she gave me the head of Medusa to get rid of my husband. A few years later I met a man named Paul Blofis, who I fell in love with and married. This summer… the Greek gods were at war with Kronos who wanted to rise again and… Paul died in the last battle. Then we came here."

"I never knew who my father was until I was twelve." I started. "As mom told you, we lived with Smelly Gabe. In school I had been attacked by a fury, the torturers of the underworld. I was still being affected by the mist and experienced everything, from not knowing who our teacher was to trying to get information on the teacher the fury posed as, like a full time hallucination. It was horrible. I overheard my best friend, Grover, talking to our Latin teacher, Mr. Brunner, about some deadline that was connected to me. A few days later I was send home, knowing I could look for a different school for the following term." I cast a look to mom, knowing that I hadn't told anyone about this. Only Grover knew.

"Ehm… On the way to New York with the bus I saw three old ladies on the side at a fruit stand. Two were knitting and the last one was holding the basket of yarn and then took out a pair of shears and…" I said.

"Persia Andromeda Jackson" Mom interrupted me and I gulped. Oh-oh... Full name, Mom was angry. "Why did you not tell me you have seen the Fates?"

"Fates?" David asked confused. "Arrre they like Lady Hemsut?"

"The Fates, or Moirai, control the life of mortals. The moirai are Clotho, who spins the life thread, Lachesis, who measures the thread to each person, and Atropos, who cuts the threat when a person's time has come and chooses the person's manner of death." Mom explained. "They are very much like Lady Hemsut. She weaves a life tapestry and cuts it when the life is at it's end. But now, Persia Jackson, why did you not tell me?"

"Well, you see, mom…" I stuttered. "So much happened and I had nearly forgotten I had even seen them, until the end of the war and I realized that the thread I've seen was not mine, but… Luke's… The threat had the color of your eyes and the one I saw with the Fates was blue."

"Alright", Mom said and sighed deeply. "There is a lot you haven't told me, right?"

"Maybe?" I said. "Eh, where was I?... ah, They cut the threat and left, my friend Grover and I then reached New York and I ehm ditched him at the station. He was totally freaking me out, he was like "Why does it always happen?" or "Always sixth grade." You can only take so much until you're driven mad. I left while he had to go to the toilet. I went home and had to deal with Gabe before mom came home and we left. We went to our favorite beach, Montauk, when Grover found us and told us to leave. I then found out he is a satyr, half-man, half-goat. We drove to the camp for demigods, but-"

"Hang on, hang on", Jaíza said holding up a hand. "A camp? They put you in a fucking camp? Arre they completely insane? How could you have any experrrience forrr the worrrld outside when you arrre on a quest? What of yourrr family?"

"You can decide if you stay at camp for the whole year, then you can go on a tour to meet the gods at the winter solstice, but you can also stay for the summer and then return to your family like a normal summer camp. There is a chance to go on a quest but it doesn't happen often. I was different from others, since I went on about five quests so far, whether they wanted to have me on it, or not." I explained. Jaíza still huffed and muttered something about "stupid Greeks."

"You said that those who stay the whole yearrr can visit the gods. Do they not visit the "Camp"?" David asked.

"No", I shook my head. "They are on Mount Olympus, which is, right now, above the Empire State Building. Many demigods haven't even met their parent, or know who they are. The only one who is frequently at camp is Mr. D, which is Dionysus, the god of wine, who was made the camp manager as punishment."

"That's horrrrible!" Jaíza hissed. She sounded very much like a cat.

"Anyway, We drove to camp but the car was struck by lightning and then attacked by a monster, the Minotaur. He got mom and Hades, the god of the dead, teleported her to the underworld. I was so angry that I fought him and I broke off his horn and stabbed him with it. My first spoil of war. I think I even…" I trailed off and stood up from the pool after patting Lenny again, before I went to my bag and after looking through it I pulled out the Minotaur horn I got then. "… have it here."

"Cool" Jaíza said and took the horn in her hands. "We haven't got that many monsterrrs in Egypt who trrry to kill us. The last time therrre were many monsterrrs after us, was durrring the Scorrrpion King's attack."

"I was placed in the Hermes cabin. Everyone who doesn't know who their godly parent is or whose parent has no own cabin, like minor gods or Hades. The campers weren't happy, that I came. Another person to sleep there while they hadn't had enough places to sleep for those who were already there. The cabin councilor was a boy named Luke Castellan. He was the kind guy girls dream about and develop a crush on. He was kind, charming and cared for the other campers. When I came and had no things he helped me and got me clothes. During that time I was kinda short and Luke went to get me a smaller shirt if they even had some. So I was changing in a room and had my shirt off when Luke came inside to give me the smaller one. Naturally I was embarrassed when I had to explained my situation to him and he promised not to tell anyone."

"After being introduced and settled I was trained to defend myself from monsters and then went to fight in capture the flag, which is like a war situation, where two teams have to get the other teams flag. I was send to watch the borders, where I encountered the girl I didn't like back then, Clarisse la Rue, a daughter of Ares, the god of war. We fought and I got strength from the creek I stood in. It was a distraction while the others got the flag and I defeated Clarisse. A hellhound attacked then. I was the one it attacked and Annabeth, a daughter of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, and my friend, told me to go in the water. I was healed there and my father claimed me."

"Claimed?" Came a sleepy voice from Corinna. "What'cha mean?"

"Oh, good morning, slept well?" I grinned. "He showed the camp, and Olympus, that I am his child. It appears as a hologram above your head with the god or goddess's sign. My father's is a trident and for example Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, has a dove and she "beautifies" her children. That stuff."

"'k" Cory mumbled. "'s interestin' to listen to you. I've been listenin' you for a while, while I doze a bit."

"Okay" I snorted. "But don't start to snore."

"'m not Rony." Cory huffed.

"Heard that" Came it from Rony.

"You were meant to" Cory said and stuck out her tongue to her twin before settling her head back on her folded arms.

"Where was I?" I thought for I moment. "Oh, yes, he claimed me. I was moved to my father's cabin and was pretty much alienated from the others. One night I was called to speak to Chiron, the trainer of heroes, a centaur. He told me that I had to go on a quest, because Zeus, the god of the sky and king of gods', sign of power, the Master bold and I was accused to be the Thief."

"I consulted the Oracle of Delphi, which was stuck in a mummy, to get a prophecy for my quest. I was to travel west to the underworld and return what was stolen. It also said that a friend would betray us and in the end we couldn't save what "mattered most in the end". We encountered furies while we were on a bus and lost our bags when it exploded. We came to a house, "Auntie Em's Gnome Emperium" or something. Unfortunately we didn't realize that "Auntie Em" stood for Medusa and we had to fight her. We cut of her head, which became a spoil of war and I became angry, since Athena and my father were the reason she was even able to turn people into stone. Eh, I might have send the head to Olympus and luckily I was still alive after that, not that I regret it. They should think before they curse someone."

"Yourrr fatherrr" David said thinking. "Which god was he again? I forgot."

"Poseidon, the god of the sea." I answered.

"Okay, thanks." David smiled.

"In Medusa's lair we found the address to the Underworld and slept for the night. The next morning Grover had met some pink male poodle, poor Gladiola, who had run from home and was searched for a reward. He told Grover we could get the reward and continue to travel to Denver by train. On our way we stopped in St. Louis at some architectural Arch, or something that looked like a shopping bag handle, and Annabeth wanted to visit it. We were on our way out when I had to wait for the next elevator with a rich lady and her Chihuahua. They turned out to be Echidna and the Chimera. I fought them, but I got bitten and nearly dies from poisoning, when I jumped down the Arch into the Mississippi River. The nereid I met there told me to get to the ocean before we enter the Underworld. I met my friends again and we got on our train. We were quite hungry when we got of the train but we had no money left. But we still tried to get food."

„How exactly did you trrry to do that?"Jaíza purred. „Stealing, Dearrry?"

„N-no I-" I blushed. „Eh, we were still trying to think of a way to pay, when a biker came and said he would pay. He turned out to be Ares. He payed, but asked us for a favor. We were to retrieve his shield, where he left it and couldn't get back. It was a trap, made by Hephaestus, the god of forges, since Aphrodite is his wife, while dating Ares. So we got his shield, and Aphrodite's scarf, Ares got us a ride in a truck of animal smugglers. We freed the poor animals, with Grover making sure they would reach safety, when we were in Las Vegas. We eh... got kind of captured in the Lotus Casino."

„How old werrre you again?" David asked and stared at me. „Do they even let childrrren in a casino? And how do you get capturrred in one, anyway?"

„We were offered snacks which drugged us to forget why we were there and inside we didn't age." I explained. „ It was like only a few hours had passed, while it had been fife days. We got a taxi and paid with the casino debit card, which it seemed had infinite money on it. After the comment, that he could keep the change if he got us there quickly, he hadn't taken his foot of the gas."

„Uiii" Jaíza purred. „My kind of driving."

I snorted. „After that we went to the Santa Monica pier, where the Nereid was waiting for us. She gave us three pearls to escape the Underworld and warned us not to trust the gifts. We didn't know what she meant. We went further and met a guy named Procrustes, who called himself "Crusty", since no one could pronounce Procrustes."

"He is a son of Poseidon, by the way" Mom said and a winced.

"Really?" I asked and groaned when Mom nodded. How many did I fight who then happened to be my brothers? "Annabeth and Grover were strapped to the beds and stretched to fit his beds. I then tricked him into laying down on one bed and well... adjusted his large body to the smaller bed."

"Oh?" David said in a questioning tone.

"Yeah" I said. "With a sword. Once Annabeth and Grover were freed we continued to the cover place of the Underworld, DOA Recording Studios."

"When you're in Ahm Shere" Rony said sleepily. "Don't tell Eddy and Javi where the underworld is located. They'll send many prank gifts there and that won't end pretty."

"Eddy and Javi?" Mom asked wondering who they were.

"Eduarrrdo and Javierrr Gonzales, twin-sons of Hatmehit. Prrranksterrrs thrrrough and thrrrough." David laughed. "I rrremember when they prrranked mom using catnip. We werrre so sure she would rrrip theirrr heads of."

"Oh, she trrried to" Jaíza commented. "It took Auntie Sekhmet , Lorrrd Horrrus and Lorrrd Anubis to hold her back."

"Oh, you'rrre rrright" He chuckled. "I forrrgot."

"To get into Hades' palace we had to bribe Charon, the ferryman of the underworld, with money. We gave him one of the debit cards, he has taken a liking in Italian suits. But the worst wasn't bribing Charon, that was distracting Cerberus, the tree headed dog, who guards the entrance. I never thought he would like the red ball Annabeth threw him." Jaíza and David pulled a face. Their inner cat was showing through with the dislike of dogs.

"When we made it to the Fields of Asphodel, where most ghosts go who haven't done anything relatively good or bad in life. It's really depressing. Like a concert without the band where no one is angry, just... sad. When we passed the path leading to Tartatus, the Greek version of the Duat, Grover was suddenly pulled to it. Luke had given me shoes he got from his father that can fly. The shoes pulled him to Tartarus."

"He was pulled in the Duat?!" Cory's and Rony's heads snapped up as they shouted together. "Should we send someone to get him out of there?!" They clearly liked him, but that was nothing unexplainable. Their father, Geb, was after all the god of the earth and with that also the god of wild life in Egypt. They clearly cared little for the fact that Grover was Greek, for them he was just someone connected to wild places.

"Don't worry" I assured them. "We grabbed him and kept him with us until the shoes slipped from his hooves." Both twins relaxed again. "We then went to Hades' palace. He made a beautiful garden for his wife, Persephone. When I confronted Hades of stealing the Master Bolt, he accused me of stealing his Helm of Darkness, his sign of power, and bringing the Bolt with us. Ares had given us a bag with Ambrosia, Nectar and Money, but when we left it in Lotus-Casino, it appeared with us again."

"Magical" Jaíza purred. "I'm not surrre I would've thought him to be trrricky enough. He seems to lack the...brain, the tactical knowledge for such a move."

"I know, right?" I grinned at her. "We realized we had been played by Ares of all people and my friends and I used the pearl to get out of the underworld. Because of this we had left mom behind and that was meant with the line "fail to save what matters most in the end" from the prophecy. In the ocean we were picked up by a Coast Guard boat. I had given Grover my shoes to Grover, since his hooves would raise to much questions. On the beach they dropped us off we met Ares who had the Helm of Darkness on him and I fought him. I managed to stab his foot and he tried to kill me, but something stopped him. He then left the beach and left the Helm of Darkness behind. We gave it to Hades' furies and tried to get to Olympus before the deadline was up. To do that we... well... We took a plane to New York."

"Persia" Mom sighed. "You know that your uncle would strike the plane down."

"Yes, but I figured he wouldn't do it when we had his Master Bolt. It was one of the most frightening experiences of my life" I said shuddering. "I was tense the whole time and was so scared Zeus would blast the plane out of the sky. Only when we had landed was I able to relax again. As fast as we could we went to the Empire State Building and took the elevator to the 600th floor. You have to get a special key to get there. I gave Zeus the key and talked to my father. It was a bit awkward at first and I was hurt when he said he was sorry I was born, for-"

"What?!" As one David, Jaíza, Cory and Rony hissed, the latter snapping up from their sleeping positions. Even Lenny made a hissing growling noise from his position in the pool.

"For bringing a hero's fate upon me" I continued without giving the others' reactions any mind. "That a hero's fate is tragic. He was sorry for giving me that. He told me Hades had set Mom free when we gave him the Helmet back and told me I had to make a decision. He would give me a package. Then he send me off and I went home to see mom. Gabe was there and told me he would call the police. Mom refused and I realized, when he raised his hand, that he had hit her before. I wanted to kill him then and there, but mom told me not to. I wouldn't have been able to do it with my sword anyway. We went to my room and talked about what to do. I didn't want mom to have to stay married to him to protect me. I already knew I was a demigod and I could protect myself now. The package dad spoke of appeared on my bed and I recognized it as Medusa's head I sent to Olympus. "Return to Sender" it said. I wanted so badly to slice it open and put it on the table with Gabe and his Poker-buddies. Mom didn't want me to solve her problems, just like she hadn't wanted dad to solve them. I left mom the package when I returned to camp. I was sure mom would use the head. And in the end she did."

Mom embraced me and held me tight for a moment. "You did save me, Persia. You gave me the tools to build my own freedom."

"You saved yourself, mom" I said. "I just helped you a tiny bit."

"But to be honest..." Mom said and a slightly creepy smile crept on her face. I have never seen mom like this. "It was definitely... satisfying. Although I waited about two days until I was sure what to do with the statue."

"I can't imagine" Jaíza purred and grinned. "You'rrre definitely a legacy of Thoth. Always thinking beforrre you do something like that."

"Ehm where was I?" I said still grinning. "Ah, yes. I spend the rest of summer in camp. Training, socializing. The usual. Grover was given a searcher's license, which means he's allowed to search for Pan, the god of wild places and a satyr as well. It was his dream to be allowed and of finding him, although no satyr had ever returned. We celebrated the end of the summer and another year survived. Each camper gets a necklace with one clay bead for each survived year." I pulled the necklace from my collar and showed them the black bead with the sea-green trident. "This was my first bead. The image represents the most notable thing happening. As you see, the trident stands for me and my claiming."

"A bit in the forest I met Luke." I said and swallowed. It felt heavy to talk about his betrayal and to remember what I felt. "We talked a bit and it felt better than before, since I didn't have to pretend to be a girl in front of him. But then... we talked about quests and if I missed it. I did, and asked him if he did. He was different then. Bitterer and angrier. He had a sword with him, made from Celestial Bronze and tempered steel, to work on both mortals and immortals."

"We have such things as well" Veronica said slowly and rubbed on her cheek. The color – concealer, I realized - came off and revealed a tattoo. After a few moments I recognized the hieroglyphics as "Maat" - truth. Mom had once told me about the different tattoos that were sometimes used to signify someone's status. "I'm one of the Medjai but I sometimes help Cory during missions. But the Medjai's responsibilities are to protect hidden artifacts or places from mortals. Sometimes we have to take drastic measures. Before the O'Connalls revived Imhotep in Hamunaptra the Medjai fought bloody to keep Hamunaptra hidden."

"I see..." I said slowly. "Ehm... He said he was leaving and summoned a Pit Scorpion. I didn't move and remembered the third line of the prophecy. "You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend" and I realized that it had been Luke. It... there had never been someone apart from mom who I really could talk to as a girl and it hurt. It hurt that he betrayed us, that the first person I trusted with my secret was not who I thought he was. He used his sword to disappear and caused the scorpion to lurch at me. I swatted it away to got my sword and cut it in half. But while I swatted it away it stung my hand. I tried to get back to camp to get treated. I don't really remember because of the venom, but I think I managed to get to the pavilion and was found and rushed to the infirmary. They were able to save my life, but it was a close one. Annabeth said she would go home for the year, when I was reluctant to leave her alone with only Clarisse as company. She had written her family and wanted to try it again with them. I returned to Mom and we moved to a different apartment."

"Wow" Cory said.

"You did all this at twelve?" Rony asked shocked. I blushed slightly and nodded.

"Not many go to the Land of the Dead and come out to tell a tale." David said. "I hope that this was the most dangerous thing to happen to you." Mom smiled sadly and looked at me. I could see that she was hurt by what had happened to me and that I had to fight.

"Unfortunately not." I sighed. "You see..."

I told them all what happened to me in camp and on the quests. My adventures in the Sea of monsters, the retrieval of the Golden Fleece and Talia's release from being a tree. Gover finding Nico and Bianca di Angelo, Annabeth's capture and my demigod dreams of Annabeth and then Artemis holding up the sky. The quest to save them and Bianca's death. How I took up the sky and how Artemis trapped Atlas again. How Zoe died and became the Huntress-constellation. Of Talia becoming a Hunter and Artemis' new lieutenant. Talking to Nico and finding out who his parent was.

The appearance of Quintus and Mrs. O'Leary the following year and finding the Labyrinth. Meeting Hephaestus and causing the eruption of Mount St. Helens. Waking up on Ogygia with Calypso, who found out I was a girl when she changed my clothes. My decision to return and her giving me moonlace. Finding Rachel again and going back to the Labyrinth. Fighting Antaeus and escaping using Daedalus' wings. Kronos' resurrection and finding Pan, returning to camp and the following battle. My fifteenth Birthday and Nico's idea.

The following constant missions and war. My single night out and being found by Kronos. A month later exploding the Princess Andromeda and arriving in Poseidon's palace, meeting Amphitrite and Triton for the first time. Returning to Camp, the war-council, the Ares cabin refusing to help, and hearing the Great Prophecy. Searching for a way to defeat Kronos and finding out about Luke's Achilles-Curse, then venturing to the Underworld after getting Mom's blessing and being captured by Hades. Of being freed by Nico and bathing in the Styx, fighting Hades and winning. The Battle of Manhattan, while the mortal were fast asleep, thanks to Morpheus, and nearly being stabbed in my mortal spot. Getting Pandora's pithos from Prometheus and further fighting. The Drakon, with Silena appearing disguised as Clarisse, and finding out she was the spy. Returning to Olympus and convincing dad, Poseidon, to help. Then the final battle and finally Luke's death. How I gave Luke my Ankh-pendant to aid him in the afterlife and made my wish to the gods. About Helena, Paul's death and how we found out I was pregnant and had to flee.

When I had finished my tale, the others were thoughtful. In Ahm Shere it wasn't done to send a demigod under at least fourteen out in the world, even then with older demigods until they were eighteen, unless it were extreme war times and no older one could be taken from their post. The Warriors of Bast, as well as the Medjai, were taking no one into their ranks who was not fourteen, unless in war time or the demigod showed extreme potential, like Sascha, a daughter of Sekhmet. She had her initiation a year ago after she had turned thirteen.

Jaíza told me she had been a Warrior of Bast since she turned fourteen. She had trained with them since she could walk, but she had only joined officially on her birthday. A year ago when the last mortal leader, Sheila Walsh, decided to retire and have a family, she had Jaíza trained to the point that she was as good as she was, only lacking experience. Sheila still helped with the training and mission assignment, as much as she could, considering she was seven months pregnant.

David told us that we would be introduced to them at the feast. We would reach Ahm Shere in about two days in the evening and be right on time for the weekly Great Feast. In Ahm Shere the families ate together breakfast and lunch and in the evening had dinner with their godly parent. Once a week all demigods, legacies and families would come together and eat and party. Cory and Rony had told me – laughing hysterically – that David never touched the alcohol, which was pulled out once the minors were in bed, because of an embarrassing incident involving a blond curly wig, a black outfit - tight top, short skirt and high-heeled shoes - and karaoke. Apparently Javier and Eduardo had used his drunken state to their own amusement, although they swore rather loudly to never, ever do something like that again, after the chase David gave them. Leg waxing may have also been involved in the incident.

The rest of the journey was rather uneventful. David took a nap during midday, since he planned on taking night watch. During the night Pete anchored the ship so he himself could get some sleep and talk a bit to us. He said that he would stir the ship on only a few hours sleep, but then he would crash and sleep longer than usual. It was his usual plan when he did his tour from Ahm Shere to any of the other cities, since he didn't want to take any chances for an attack.

Cory and Rony told me a bit about their growing up. Their mother was a gardener and nature activist and tried what she could to save the rainforest in Brazil. During a conference in Africa, she met Geb and spend a night with him, which resulted in the twins. At first their mother was not sure what to expect of do, especially after seeing her five-year old daughter – Rony – slap a boy's nose so hard she broke it. After that she tried to contact her lover to ask for help. He came and explained a few things to her. Their mother then moved to Ahm Shere to give her children the best education she could, while still trying to save nature.

Jaíza, Corinna, Veronica, Mom and me had a sleepover and Jaí turned out to have her own little gossip/info-network. She said it was a tradition for the mortal leaders of the Warriors of Bast – Warriors, for short – to get their information, gossip and occasional blackmail through this source. She then proceeded to tease Cory and Rony about their cute relationship with their girlfriend to what they snarled at her to finally shag a certain son of Anubis, who I know by the way.

Seeing her red face I started laughing and felt happier than I had in a long while. For the first time in my life I felt like a normal ordinary girl simply having fun with her friends.