(I wish I owned Percy Jackson, but I don't)

Mutilation?

Artemis

After this lovely conversation with my dear brother, which only served to create more questions and doubts in my mind, I decided that the best thing to do was to leave that hotel room, since as much as it had a fireplace, a TV, and a moderately comfortable bed, it is probably better for my sanity to leave there than to stay with these mortal "benefits".

I left the room, walking down the hallway, noticing how crowded that hotel was. Sure, there were about 20 Hunters staying here, pretending to be the Greek Olympic team for an archery competition. Fortunately, my Greek accent was convincing enough to pass me off as the team's instructor, and also lucky is the fact that apparently no one knows how many members an archery team has. I arrived at the hotel lobby and found Reyna Ramirez-Arellano on a sofa, reading something.

- Lady Artemis. - Reyna said when she saw me, bowing subtly, not to draw attention from all the mortals around us.

- We have already discussed that this is not exactly necessary. - I said thwarted, because even if I am a goddess, I prefer a relationship of mutual respect with all Hunters, rather than extreme worship. That's more suited for my Olympian relatives.

- I don't want to be turned into some wild animal that will be used as a cape for some Hunter five hundred years from now.

I felt a little bad hearing that.

- First of all, I won't turn you into a wild animal for not revering me, just as I certainly wouldn't do something so terrible to any Hunter.

- What I have learned from all these years is that with gods it is better not to take any chances, milady, - she said shrugging - even though you are so kind compared to other Olympians, and I hope I won't be toasted by that last statement, it is still hard not to feel afraid of an all-powerful being. I heard you turn people into jackalopes.

I sighed.

- I don't know if I agree, but it is true that my family members are not exactly cordial. And I only turn boys that stumble into our camp into jackalopes.- I said laughing. But before I could sit right next to Reyna, one of the Hunters, a newcomer called Catharine, a daughter of Hecate, comes running into the hall, sweaty and breathing heavily.

- Lady Artemis - she tries to catch her breath. - We have located the pack - again she gasps, completely breathless.

- Good. Reyna, alert the others. Catharine, get some rest, you won't be able to do anything in this state.

She nods, and walks away slowly.

- I hope you are prepared for this. - I say to Reyna.

- I know what I got myself into, and it's just a few hellhounds, it's not going to be that big of a deal, after all our real priority lies with the TF - she said, smiling.

We got everything we needed, and went to my chariot, which for mortals appeared as a bus with a huge Greek flag on it. Of course, it helped considering that instead of the silver outfits that me and the Hunters usually wore, we now wore dark blue uniforms with the Greek flag on the left side, and the symbol of the Olympic Committee on the right. We get into the chariot, Catharine lying on its ground, stiil trying to catch her breath. Unfortunately, we had to follow the mortal traffic laws as it would be confusing, to say the least, for any mortal to see a flying bus. I thank my reins for being so intelligent.

- Milady? - called Thalia Grace, my lieutenant.

- Yes, Thalia?

- I couldn't help but overhear someone in your room, specially when they mentioned mine and her's name - she nodded her head in the direction of Reyna, who was sitting nearby.

I thought for a second before answering.

- It was nothing. It was just Apollo, asking how you two were doing and coming to visit me. Nothing very exciting.

- Oh, that's fine - she seemed relieved. I don't know if she didn't like people talking in secret about her, and I decided that it would be best not to found out - and did he happen to show up as Lester? - she said, smiling.

I remembered the hideous adolescent human form that Zeus had imprisoned my brother in, and couldn't hold back a laugh.

- Fortunately no. It's more familiar for him to appear as a teenage series actor rather than as a teenager itself. And it is a much more pleasant sight, honestly. But don't tell him about this, or he might turn back to his arrogant self again. - I said, making Thalia chuckle.

We went on the bus for a few minutes until we reached a very quiet part of town, far from people and full of dark alleys and quiet overpasses. Thalia signaled for one group to follow, while Reyna would lead another. I went ahead of both groups, and almost immediately saw 3 hellhounds, the size of vans, eating from garbage cans. I took three arrows from my quiver and shot them all at the same time, killing all three monsters with well-aimed arrows. But as I expected, we heard loud barking nearby, and the next thing I saw was about 20 hellhounds running towards us.

As I was in the front, most of them came towards me, which was the goal, since even thought they were a formidable threat to demigods and Hunters, I could easily take on them. I started to shoot frantically at the hounds, wounding and killing as many as I could, with my Hunters providing some much needed support. However, in a moment of indecision, I ended up being knocked down by a smaller hellhound, no bigger than a Tiger. It is a horrible feeling to feel that animal's breath, which smelled like pure death, together with the snarling and slobbering, not to mention it trying to bite me at all costs, I could barely prevent it from my mauling my face out. That was, until in the place of the Hellhound, now there was only golden dust. I looked to the side and there it was Reyna, already focused on other targets, contributing to the rain of silver arrows that were falling against the pack.

- Look at that, Thalia! - yelled Reyna smiling to the daughter of Zeus, how many times have you saved her since you joined the Hunt?

Normally, Thalia would answer something like "stop showing off and focus," pretending that she wouldn't do the same thing if she was in Reyna's situation, but Thalia never got to give an answer, since when she turned to look at Reyna, a huge hellhound, perhaps the pack leader, threw itself at her while she was distracted, knocking her to the ground with a sharp bite to the leg.

Seeing that terrible scene evaporated any control I had, and for a moment I had to restrain myself to not let my divine form come out and evaporate everyone present, but my rage was uneasy to match. I screamed "NO", and in a few seconds the hellhound attacking Thalia had been reduced to dust. Still with a huge hatred running through my veins along with the ichor, I attacked all the remaining hounds, in a way that I don't usually do, but at that moment it was different, there was no time to calculate anything. In moments, all of the pack was also reduced to dust. I ran to see Thalia Grace's situation, and feel dizzy, which is not something that normally happens with gods. Her leg was completely bloody and apparently with a piece of flesh missing, and scratches now marked her skin all over her body, with all of them, or almost all of them, also bleeding.

- Please, please, no, no, NO, NO, NOT again - I plead crying for Thalia - R-Reyna!

Reyna runs to me

- Y-yes, Lady Artemis? - I saw guilt and regret in the eyes of Belona's daughter.

- Thalia's wounds are too critical. - tears start streaming down my face. - We need help.

- Where could we go? - she asked.

- Oly... Let's go to Camp Half-Blood. It's the closest place around here that we can actually trust. Besides being full of people with healing experience, so we can't waste time with her losing so much blood. Quick, everyone in the chariot, now! - I said to all the Hunters.

They all went quickly, except Reyna, who stood there with me. I took Thalia in my arms and whispered in her ear, "everything will be fine, nothing bad will happen to you," and ran to the chariot, Reyna right behind me. I remember the last time I ran to that chariot with my lieutenant severly injured in my arms, years ago. Surely that memory is not a pleasant one at all, and still carrying her, I began to actually cry as the chariot took off into the skyes. Losing one more person would be the last straw, and I cannot let that happen, under any circumstances.