Michael
_

Depressing is not a word that usually describes Mount Olympus, but it looked that way now. No fires lit the braziers. The windows were dark. The streets were deserted and the doors were barred. The only movement was in the parks, which had been set up as field hospitals. Lee, Will, and the other Apollo campers scrambled around, caring for the wounded. Naiads and dryads tried to help, using nature magic songs to heal burns and poison.

I'd taken Katie back up to Olympus to make sure she didn't try to keep fighting. She was in no condition to fight an army of monsters. Her entire body was covered in sweat and the black veins from the hellhound bites had spread even farther now.

"Michael," she was pleading. "Please. Just take me to the throne room. Then I'll stay up here."

"No," I protested. "You can't go all that way. Besides, why do you want to go there? No one's there right now."

"I have an idea," she said. "A dangerous one, but it might work."

"What's going on?" Lee asked. "Katie, why are you walking around? You should be resting!"

"That's what I'm telling her," I muttered.

"We need to go to the throne room," Katie said. "Please, you two. I'll stop fighting after we do that."

"Why would you-" Lee paused. "Oh. I hope you're not doing what I think you're doing."

"What is she doing?" I asked.

"We don't have time," she said. "Come on!"

Lee sighed. "Fine. As your doctor, I'm coming with you."

"What?" I exclaimed. "Lee, she can't be moving! You of all people should be against this!"

"I am," he agreed. "But Katie's been through a lot. Those first three years...You have no idea how many times she mentioned you." He waved his arm. "C'mon. I'll tell you on the way."

"Fine!" I threw my arms up in defeat. "You stubborn...¡Te jodes tercos!"

Lee and Katie smiled slightly. Lee lifted one of Katie's arms over his shoulders.

"Do the same on her other side," he told me. "It'll help us go faster." I did as he said. As we began to walk to the throne room, Lee explained to me what happened with Katie during the three years Percy and I were gone. "Her first day back was rough, you know? She cried so hard and so much she made herself sick. Spent the next two days in the infirmary. And while she was there... She explained a lot.

"At first, I thought you were some figment of her imagination. Some man in her dreams that seemed so real she believed you were. But then I saw evidence that you were real. I think that was the first time I felt myself remembering the past. I saw a younger version of Katie and realized how much older she was. A 19-year-old demigod? Practically unheard of. Especially with how powerful she was. Some satyrs commented that she was the most powerful demigod in camp before Alex came along. And even then, it was a close match."

"You mentioned evidence," I said, looking at a lone nymph, playing the lyre on a bench. "What did you mean by that?"

I saw them share a look out of the corner of my eye. Katie shook her head and Lee nodded.

"She had a couple photos in her possession," Lee said. "Every photo had the two of you in it. Some also had Percy, some a small guy with curly black hair, and some with a brown-haired girl. But there was some...physical evidence, too."

I raised a brow. "Like?"

"Hickies," Lee explained. "On her neck, on her shoulders, on her thighs."

An unwelcome shiver of jealousy ran through me. "How do you know some were on her thighs?" I asked dangerously.

Lee nearly tripped on his feet. "Oh! I was, uh..."

"I'll tell you soon, Pups," Katie interjected. "I promise. It had nothing to do with sex."

"You know that's a lie," Lee muttered. He yelped as I pressed an ice-cold hand to his arm. "I meant between you two! I didn't have sex with her, I swear!"

"Good."

Katie laughed. It made me smile, but I could tell how much this walk had drained her. Her back was soaked with sweat and she was panting. She was unnaturally pale.

Lee seemed to have noticed it, too. We shot me a concerned look before turning to the great bronze doors in front of us.

"We're here," he said.

The bronze doors creaked open. Our footsteps echoed on the marble floor. The constellations twinkled coldly on the ceiling of the great hall. The hearth was down to a dull red glow. Hestia, in the form of a little girl in brown robes, hunched at its edge, shivering.

In the firelight, the thrones cast evil-looking shadows, like grasping hands.

We approached the childlike goddess and laid Katie down. The flames of the hearth perked up a bit at our presence.

Hestia looked at us and smiled. "You three bring hope. The fire was almost dead before you arrived."

Lee raised an eyebrow, "My lady?"

"You are three heroes," she said. "Each of you represents a factor of victory." She nodded at me, "Fighting spirit." She nodded to Katie, "Hope and life." Then she nodded to Lee. "Restoration and light."

Lee looked stunned at being recognized by the goddess. "M-My lady? Me? Are you sure?"

Hestia smiled at him as if amused by his uncertainty. "Yes, child of Apollo. You are a great hero. Recognized by Daedelus for your brilliance, recognized by Aether and Hemera for your bright spirit. You are capable of great things. Do not doubt yourself."

She turned to Katie. Her smile fell away as she laid eyes upon her wounds. "My dear, you fight hard against this sickness. It is the same Pan fought, brought upon you faster because of a creature of death. But you still fight to protect your family."

"To my...last breath..." Katie breathed.

Hestia nodded. "I admire you for that. Let me bestow upon you the gift of healing."

The goddess waved her hand over Katie's body and an orange glow surrounded her. As the glow sunk into her skin, the blackness in her veins drew back. The sweat on her forehead and cheeks evaporated as the color returned to her.

As the black marks faded completely, she sat up. She put a hand to her chest as if feeling her own heartbeat.

"I feel...fine," she said. "Whole, even."

Hestia nodded. "You are destined for great things, also, daughter of Demeter, as is your daughter. It would not do to have her mother die before she can pass on her love and teachings to ensure she grows up to be a warrior worthy of Artemis and Athena."

"Daughter?" I repeated. "Why do I feel like you aren't referring to Andromeda?"

Katie shifted uncomfortably. Lee looked anywhere but me. Hestia seemed unaffected by the bomb she just dropped.

Finally, Katie said, "I'm sorry, Michael. I wanted to tell you, but I...I didn't know how. You were gone for three years. When you showed up, I panicked. I sent her to live with my mortal mother. I was going to tell you the day you were taken to Olympus to be killed. I've wanted to tell you every day, but I...I was afraid of how you would react. I thought you'd be angry with me. That's how Lee knew about the hickies. Only he and Silena know she's yours. I never told anyone else."

I raised my hand and she flinched. She probably thought I was going to hit her, but I gently cupped her face. She opened her eyes to stare at me in shock.

"I'm not angry," I told her. "I'm upset you hid her from me, but I'm not angry. I could never be angry with you, Katie." I leaned forward and kissed her, which, in retrospect, was a bit awkward to do in front of a maiden goddess and one of my best friends. Hindsight is 20/20.

I pulled back and rubbed her cheek lovingly. "I want to meet her when this is all over," I said. Katie just nodded.

Lee coughed awkwardly. Katie blushed but I just stared at him.

"Yes?"

"Well," he started, "we are in the middle of a war. We probably don't have much time left before Kronos returns to try and storm Olympus."

"He is right," Hestia said. "Battle with my father grows closer. Typhon approaches quickly. If you wish to see tomorrow, I suggest you go through with your plan, Katie Gardner. He can survive it. He is one of few who can."

With that, she vanished in a small burst of flame.

Lee and I stared at her questioningly as she stood up. She walked towards one of the thrones, beckoning us to follow.

"You have to trust me," she said as she came to a stop in front of one of them. It was a molded black leather seat attached to a swivel pedestal, with a couple of iron rings on the side for fastening a fishing pole (or a trident). Basically, it looked like a chair on a deep-sea boat, that you would sit in if you wanted to hunt shark or marlin or sea monsters.

Lee hiccuped. "Is that-"

"Poseidon's throne?" Katie finished for him. "Yup. We need to get his attention. And the only one who can do that without dying is you, Michael."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Lee, help me push him up."

"This is such a bad idea," Lee muttered but did as Katie said.

"Why am I getting Poseidon's attention?" I asked, not wanting to get on in fear of death.

"He needs to help defeat Typhon," Katie explained. "Percy did it last time. He convinced Poseidon to leave Atlantis and come capture Typhon before he can get to Olympus. He's the only chance we have. If we don't convince him...Well, we're all dead."

"And I don't want that," I said. "But what's this about me being the only one who can survive?"

"Well," Lee said, "the gods generally don't like it when people sit on their thrones. So there's a chance he'll incinerate you in a heartbeat. But if I'm correct, killing you would start a war between the gods. Artemis and my father are pretty fond of you, and if I'm not mistaken, so is Hermes. Hades and Demeter would likely wage war on Poseidon for killing you since you're married to two of their daughters. Other than that...I don't know. I think Athena appreciates you, but I doubt she'll threaten her uncle with war if you die, but there's a chance."

"We really don't need another war right now," I muttered.

"Then let's hope you don't die."

"Please, Michael," Katie pleaded. "This is the only way."

I sighed. I couldn't refuse her after she just spilled her guts about my previously unknown daughter. "Alright. Help me up."

They linked their arms to make a step, then boosted me onto the throne. I felt like a baby with my feet so high off the ground. I looked around at the other gloomy, empty thrones, and I could imagine what it would be like sitting on the Olympian Council—so much power but so much arguing, always eleven other gods trying to get their way. It would be easy to get paranoid, to look out only for my own interest, especially if I were Poseidon. Sitting in his throne, I felt like I had the entire sea at my command—vast cubic miles of ocean churning with power and mystery. Why should Poseidon listen to anyone? Why shouldn't he be the greatest of the twelve?

Then I shook my head. Concentrate.

At first nothing happened but then the throne rumbled violently. A wave of gale-force anger slammed into my mind.

"WHO DARES–" The voice stopped abruptly. The anger retreated, which was a good thing because just those two words had almost blasted my mind to shreds.

Poseidon's voice was still angry but more controlled, "What - exactly - are you doing on my throne?"

I winced a bit before steeling my nerves. "I apologize, Lord Poseidon, but I needed to speak to you."

"This was a very dangerous thing to do. Even for you. If I hadn't looked before I blasted, you would now be a puddle of seawater. Killing you would put another war on my hands. If we survive this one."

"I'm sorry," I said again. "Listen, things are rough up here. Kronos is almost to Olympus and Typhon isn't that far behind. We need you to do something."

Poseidon sighed. "I know, but there is little I can do. Oceanus' forces are relentless. If I leave, my palace and city will be destroyed."

"You won't have a palace or a domain or anything if Typhon reaches New York. Olympus will be destroyed. Kronos will destroy your throne. How will you defend your domain once your seat of power has been destroyed? Once Typhon has reduced Olympus and all of New York to nothing but rubble?"

His voice was silent for a long time.

"Michael Gardner, what you ask is impossible. My palace—"

"Kronos sent an army against you on purpose," I interrupted. "He wants to divide you from the other gods because he knows you could tip the scales. You are a powerful god, one of the most. Kronos is scared of what you can do."

Poseidon was silent for a minute. "Michael, I can't just abandon Atlantis..." He started until I interrupted him again. I hope he doesn't kill me for it.

"Yes you can, you just don't want to. You're being selfish and worrying about yourself instead of your family," I growled. "Maybe you're just ashamed that your son turned against you and hope he destroys Olympus. Maybe then you can be relieved of your shame."

The floor shook. A wave of anger washed over my mind. I thought I'd gone too far, but then the trembling eased. In the background of my mental link, I heard underwater explosions and the sound of battle cries: Cyclopes bellowing, mermen shouting.

I could see the image of Poseidon in his mind inside his throne room in Atlantis in full battle armor with his head in his hands.

"You realize what you are asking me to do? My palace will be destroyed."

"I'm aware. Are you aware that if you keep up this selfishness, hundreds of thousands will die? Your home here on Olympus will be reduced to ashes. Your family killed or sent to Tartarus. Is all that worth your stupid palace that can just be rebuilt?"

"Very well! It shall be as you say. But pray this works."

"I am praying. I'm talking to you, right?"

"Oh . . . yes. Good point. Amphitrite—incoming!"

The sound of a large explosion shattered our connection.

I slipped down from the throne.

Lee studied me nervously. "Are you okay? You turned pale and . . . you started smoking."

"I did not!" Then I looked at my arms. Steam was curling off my shirtsleeves. The hair on my arms was singed. "Okay, maybe I did."

"If you'd sat there any longer," Katie said, "you would've spontaneously combusted. Was the conversation worth it?"

"We'll find out soon," I said.

Just then the doors of the throne room swung open. Zoe marched in. Her bow was snapped in half and her quiver was empty.

"You've got to get down there," she told us. "The enemy is advancing. And Kronos is leading them."