"Why would Rachel make a bad deal?" Leo asked
"I think it's about me going to Clarion." Rachel said
"Maybe." Percy said
I grabbed Will Solace from the Apollo cabin and told the rest of his siblings to keep searching for Michael Yew.
The Apollo gang smiled at Percy.
We borrowed a Yamaha FZ1 from a sleeping biker and drove to the Plaza Hotel at speeds that would've given my mom a heart attack.
Everybody chuckled.
"Poor Sally." Thalia snickered
I'd never driven a motorcycle before…I figured we were in good company.
"Well on the positive side, it might make it a little less obvious." Frank said
"I think they already knew." Percy said
"Oh."
I gunned the Yamaha over the curb and swerved to a stop…A bronze apple sailed over my head
"I'm thinking that she's Pompona." Reyna smiled
"Most probably." Hazel agreed
"Everyone thinks I'm Demeter!" she complained…Three cheers for Morpheus and Hecate, I say!"
Zeus scowled.
"Watch the bike," I told her
The demigods snickered.
"Really Percy?" Frank asked in amusement
Percy grinned sheepishly.
Pompona cursed in Latin and threw more fruit…helping themselves to snacks and sodas from the minibars.
A few gods grimaced at the thought of the demigods bandaging themselves with draperies.
"Minibars are awesome." The Stolls grinned
The demigods nodded.
"I don't why but this reminds me that we have a paintball match after this." Percy grinned
The demigods nodded and grinned.
A couple of timber wolves were drinking out…pretty much anything except fighting monsters.
The demigods sighed.
Annabeth lay on a lounge chair…Silena Beauregard was wiping her forehead with a cool cloth.
"Yeah, cool packs or a cook cloth is always useful." Percy nodded
Nico agreed.
Will and I pushed through a crowd of Athena kids…The skin around the cut was a horrible shade of green.
"It's poisoned." Apollo winced
Athena gave a yell of pain as she felt the curse acting up.
"Annabeth…" I choked up…. How could I have let that happen?
Annabeth smiled softly.
"Couldn't let you die." She said
Percy gave a small smile.
"I'd do the same for you." He said
Annabeth smiled.
Aphrodite cooed.
"Poison on the dagger," she mumbled. "Pretty stupid of me, huh?"
"Very." Percy said
Annabeth chuckled.
Will Solace exhaled with relief. "It's not so bad, Annabeth…but she stayed still, like Will asked.
Athena was shaking by now.
"Dad?" Will asked
"It's the curse." Apollo said
Poseidon rubbed his fingers.
Silena muttered words of encouragement…He looked almost as pale as Annabeth.
Apollo was pale and felt very tired.
"Were you okay?" Lee asked
"Just tired." Will smiled
Athena calmed down.
"That should do it," he said…"I would," Travis volunteered
A few chuckles.
Will glared at him. "Leave cash or drachmas to pay…single demigod who hadn't already been wounded…except me.
"That was quite odd." Will admitted
Percy sighed.
"But super cool!" Katie said
The Stolls nodded.
Percy grinned.
"Come on, guys," Travis Stoll said. "Let's give Annabeth some space. We've got a drugstore to raid…I mean, visit."
Hermes grinned and chuckled at his children.
"Tell me you paid." Will said weakly
"We paid for half." Travis smirked
Will groaned good naturedly.
The demigods shuffled back inside…He nodded. "Just take your time."
Percy smiled.
"Even Jake knew about you two. Oh gods." Leo said
Percy and Annabeth turned red.
He closed the terrace doors behind him…"No," Annabeth said weakly. "Silena, how is it your fault?"
Silena bit her lip to stop the tears.
"It wasn't your fault. I took the knife, you didn't make me." Annabeth said
Beckendorf smiled at Annabeth.
"I've never been any good at camp," she murmured…I would give him to Mrs. O'Leary as a chew toy.
Silena broke down.
"No, I would definitely not do that." Percy told Silena
"I would've deserved it." Silena chuckled humorlessly
"No, you did not deserve it." Beckendorf said
Percy nodded and the other campers joined him. They knew Silena was a hero.
"What's going on?" Demeter asked
"I-I was the spy. I swear, Luke said I was going to save lives He said he wouldn't hurt Charlie. I thought I was helping and saving lives." Silena sobbed
Beckendorf hugged her.
"We know. Luke manipulated you while he himself was being manipulated." Beckendorf said gently
Silena buried her head in Beckendorf's shoulder. The other campers looked at each other. None of them blamed Silena.
"You made the right choice in the end Silena. You were, are and will always be a hero." Clarisse said
The elder Greek demigods nodded.
Silena gave a small smile.
"You know Percy, on a completely unrelated topic. Your Achilles spot was your back and your fatal flaw is loyalty so to betray you, somebody had to stab you in the back." Connor said
Everybody including Silena chuckled.
"That's so weird and awesome." Travis said
"Coincidence? I think not." Nico said dramatically
Everybody snickered.
Aphrodite and Piper gave side hugs to Silena. Beckendorf smiled.
"You're a great camper," I told Silena…Believe me, anyone who can make friends with Clarisse has talent."
"Say it louder!" Pollux said
The elder Greek demigods grinned and cheered.
Silena smiled at all of them. She had great friends. She was glad to spend this time with everybody even with all the drama going on with Zeus and Athena.
Clarisse gave a small smile to Silena and Chris grinned.
She stared at me like I'd just given her an idea…Maybe sending her back to camp would give her something else to focus on.
The campers looked down.
Silena gave a small smile.
"All right," I told her. "I can't think of anybody better to try."… . "Um, sorry. Thank you, Percy! I won't let you down!"
"I know that." Percy smiled
Silena smiled.
"She never did." Clarisse agreed
The Greek campers nodded.
Silena gave them all grateful looks.
"I mean, would you look at that? Silena is feeling a little awkward hugging Percy in front of Annabeth, knowing Percy and Annabeth have feelings for each other while those two aren't realizing it." Piper chuckled
Percy and Annabeth grinned sheepishly.
"Yeah, I don't feel awkward hugging anybody but it was a little weird in front of Annabeth." Silena chuckled
Percy and Annabeth blushed.
Once she was gone, I knelt next to Annabeth…"Your eyebrows get all scrunched together."
Athena gave a shiver because of the fever.
"Aw, look at Annie flirting and everything." Thalia teased
Grover laughed.
"She's all grown up now." He said, wiping fake tears
Everybody burst out laughing.
"I mean, I could feel Percy's affection for Annabeth through our link but he himself hadn't figured it out." Grover laughed
Percy blushed.
"You are not going to die while I owe you a favor," I said.
"Smooth Kelp Head, very smooth." Thalia smirked
Percy grinned.
"Why did you take that knife?"… Still, I felt like somebody was poking my heart with a cold metal rod.
Poseidon wrapped his hand around Percy's shoulders as he felt Percy's guilt.
Percy smiled.
"How did you know?" "Know what?"… Where…where is the spot?"
"Whoa, that's so cool. I mean knowing part." Leo said
"Percy did you imprint on Annabeth?" Nico asked
"What the-? I'm not a wolf." Percy laughed
"No as in like is it similar." Nico chuckled
"Kind of. Like it was Annabeth who held me, like helped ground me when I was dying. So it was kind of similar." Percy said and nodded
Annabeth blushed.
"Intense." Hermes said
Percy grinned.
I wasn't supposed to tell anyone…A thousand volts of electricity seemed to arc through my body.
Poseidon shuddered.
"You saved me," I said. "Thanks."… "So you owe me," she said weakly. "What else is new?"
Everybody chuckled.
We watched the sun come up over the city…Everyone in New York was in danger—and all those lives depended on us.
"I'm glad you didn't tell us that." Travis said
Percy raised an eyebrow.
"It would put quite some pressure." Connor said
Percy nodded in understanding.
"You asked me why Hermes was mad at me," Annabeth said…Luke came to see me in San Francisco."
Athena winced in pain.
"Wait, as in he came to see you like at your house?" Chris asked in disbelief
Annabeth nodded.
"In person?" I felt like she'd just hit me with a hammer…He wanted me to come with him."
Thalia's eyes widened.
"But you didn't trust him." "Of course not…I might as well fight him right there, because it was the last chance I'd get."
Hermes looked down. He didn't blame Annabeth anymore. He knew that Luke had tricked her too many times. Though when he heard the news, he was frustrated that she didn't go with Luke but when he thought about it, that if he was in her place, when a friend had gone to an enemy side and tricked him and then come to her place to run away with her, he knew that even he wouldn't trust Luke at the that point.
"It does make sense for you not to trust him Annie. He tricked you many times. Even if this would've been a trick then imagine how much trouble you would be in which would disturb many people at camp. It would've been very hard to fight the war without you." Thalia said
Annabeth gave her a grateful look.
"She's right. I'm sorry for getting so mad at you." Hermes said, looking up
Annabeth gave a small smile.
Her forehead broke out in sweat again. The story was taking too much of her energy.
Athena felt very weak and closed her eyes.
"It's okay," I said. "Try to get some rest…Luke was unarmed. I could've—"
"You know, you couldn't have killed him. To be honest, I don't think that any of us would've killed him." Thalia said gently
Annabeth nodded.
"But death would've been a better fate." Chris said sadly
"No offense but if he would have died at that time, then he might have received punishment. I'm not sure but I think so. Also, when he died later, he changed his mind and he got Elysium because of his final choice but at the time, when he was at Annabeth's house… like I said, I'm not sure, it would've been up to the judges but he might have received punishment for the idea of siding with Kronos." Nico said
Hades gave small smile at the thought of Nico knowing this much about the Underworld.
"But if he would've died at that point, the others wouldn't die." Will said sadly
"Annabeth would've had her friend's murder guilt for the rest of her life. We died, but at least we died a death protecting you all." Michael said
Nico gave a sympathetic smile to Will.
Will nodded.
"Killed him?" I said. "You know that wouldn't have been right."
Annabeth sighed.
She squeezed her eyes shut. "Luke said Kronos would use him like a stepping stone…The war is my fault."
"No it isn't. He tricked you, Annabeth. I don't think any of us would've trusted him at that point." Chris said
Hermes grimaced slightly.
Annabeth sighed and nodded.
Her story made me feel like I was back in the Styx…You will play a great role, though it may not be the role you imagined.
Poseidon closed his eyes, feeling the rolling emotions of Percy inside him.
I wanted to ask her about the vision Hestia had shown me…I knew it had something to do with my prophecy, but I didn't understand what
"The promise." Percy murmured.
Before I could get up my nerve, the terrace door opened…everything from pizza to pineapple ice cream
"Sounds delicious." Persephone smiled at Katie
Katie smiled.
"It's so unhealthy! Pineapple ice cream and pizza." Demeter grumbled
Katie had a pained and a little miserable look on her face.
"Yes mother." She said weakly
Everybody bit their lips to keep them from laughing.
Unfortunately, Grover was eating the furniture…"Yeah, I know. So what's up?"
Everybody chuckled.
Grover grinned sheepishly.
He clopped on his hooves. "I heard about Annabeth. Is she…?"…Anyway, we're helping out as much as we can."
Everybody snickered. Dionysus rubbed his head.
"The help was great." Percy grinned
Grover winked.
He told me about the skirmishes they'd seen…dozen wood nymphs died before the monster was finally defeated.
Hermes, Dionysus, Artemis, Grover and the demigods closed their eyes.
As Grover talked, Thalia entered the room with two of her lieutenants…"We lost twenty satyrs against some giants at Fort Washington," he said, his voice trembling
Hermes, Dionysus and Grover winced.
"Almost half my kinsmen. River spirits drowned the giants in the end, but…"…but he radiates power like only a Titan or god."
"Hyperion." Poseidon said
Percy nodded.
I remembered the golden Titan from my dream…. He should reach the Appalachian Mountains by midday."
"Brilliant." Frank said sarcastically
"So at best," I said, "we've got another two days before he arrives."… I told her about the silver charm Kronos had shown me, the communication device
Silena grimaced.
"So you guys fought a war with a spy while the enemy knew the plans. Damn guys." Apollo said in awe
"Thanks." Percy gave a small smile
"That's bad," she said. "Very bad."… We've got a long night ahead of us."
"That was very nice." Zoe grinned
Percy grinned back.
"It's the truth. I couldn't ask for a better team." He shrugged
The demigods smiled.
"We couldn't ask for a better leader." Pollux grinned
Percy blushed. The sea gang grinned.
The demigods mumbled agreement…but my eyes closed almost immediately.
"I'm glad that I'm not falling asleep." Poseidon said
Percy chuckled.
"These dreams didn't have anything positive." He said and gave looks to Will, Annabeth, Thalia and Jason.
They nodded. Jason gave the book to Reyna.
"Um could you read?" he asked
Reyna smiled and nodded.
In my dream, I saw Nico di Angelo alone in the gardens of Hades…which I didn't figure would make the queen very happy
Persephone gave Nico a glare. Nico grinned sheepishly.
He poured a goblet of wine into the hole and began to chant…She is the one spirit you are forbidden to see.
Hades closed his eyes. Percy and the others kept looking at Nico. They were practically surrounding him. Percy and Will were on either side of him. Jason was next to Will, Annabeth was next to Percy and Thalia was on the floor, next to Nico's feet.
Nico was very grateful for his friends, cousins and boyfriend. He knew that they knew and he also knew that they would be there for him when it was needed. Hazel was near him as well but she wasn't as close as it was a little awkward for her to hear about this and Nico completely understood that. He knew that this was going to be a hard one for him and his father. He knew that he would have to be a little strong but he didn't know if he would be able to keep his temper controlled once they read about it.
As for the matter went about the other campers knowing, he wasn't awkward about that. They were his friends and honestly they had a right to know. He also knew that Apollo wouldn't fume too much about the oracle part because he already knew and he changed after the Lester adventures but he couldn't say the same for Hermes. He knew that Hermes didn't know about why May Castellan couldn't host the spirit of the oracle and he wasn't going to be happy about it. He also knew that this might bother Rachel a little but Rachel always looked on the positive side.
Percy seemed to know what Nico was thinking as he knew how hard it was going to be and he gave Nico a sympathetic smile. Nico looked nervously around the room, bracing himself for the reactions. He only had some comfort in the fact that his friends were there and that Mr. D might be able to cure May Castellan.
"We're here Nico." Will muttered to him. Nico's nerves calmed down a little and he gave Will a small smile. Will knew that Nico was feeling a little messed up and nervous about the reactions and his own feelings about reading all this. The ones sitting next to Nico nodded reassuringly.
"Why?" he demanded. "What's our father hiding?"… A curse that stretches back to the Great Prophecy.
Everybody turned to look at Hades, well everybody except Apollo, the gang surrounding Nico, Persephone and Hestia. He glared at the ones staring at him.
The knowledge will only hurt you…Bianca's image dissipated.
Nico sighed. He hadn't meant to sound harsh but he needed to know the truth. Though the truth did make him angry but it made him feel less rushed.
"Maria di Angelo," he said again. "Speak to me!"… She had Bianca's smile and Nico's eyes.
Nico gave a small smile. Will held Nico's hand which he was grateful for.
On a chair next to her sat a large oily man in a black pinstripe suit. With a shock, I realized it was Hades.
"It's not such a good description but okay." Hades said
Percy gave a grin.
He was leaning toward the woman, using his hands as he talked, like he was agitated.
"A lot of people do that." Lee said, thinking
"Why though?" Michael asked curiously
"Why do humans swing their hands while walking? It just feels right." Travis and Connor said, quoting Blackjack.
Michael chuckled. Percy smiled.
"Please, my dear," he said. "You must come to the Underworld. I don't care what Persephone thinks! I can keep you safe there."
"I'm sorry?" Persephone asked
"If it would've kept her safe…" Hades said miserably
Persephone sighed and squeezed Hades' hand.
"No, my love." She spoke with an Italian accent... None of us are to have demigod children ever again."
"You can't avoid a freaking prophecy! It's going to take place whether you like it or not." Will said in exasperation
Apollo nodded.
Poseidon sighed.
"I'm sorry about the oath brother." He said to Hades
Hades waved it off.
Percy smiled at his dad, glad that he apologized. It would make a difference. He really did follow what Dionysus had told him. Poseidon gave a small smile to Percy.
"But you already have Nico and Bianca. Surely—"…He'll find a way to destroy them, and I won't risk that!"
Nico gritted his teeth. Hazel was glaring at the floor.
"He definitely would." Percy said "Like he did for me and almost got my mother killed by blasting the car." He added bitterly and gave a humorless chuckle at the end.
"You see, the thing about dad is that, he will try to kill the children but he will also try to kill the ones who are near the child and I hate to say it, he sometimes succeeds. Though all the motives are wrong." Thalia said
Zeus' eyes widened.
"Certamente," Maria said. "We will stay together. Zeus is un imbecile."
There was silence for two seconds before the demigods burst into laughter and some of them cheered and whistled. The gang around Nico was laughing, cheering, whistling and pounding their feet and hands. The other Greek demigods were laughing and snickering.
Zeus glowered at all of them.
"She's not wrong." Poseidon told him. Zeus glared at him.
I couldn't help admiring her courage…deadline of last week to turn over the children.
"There was a freaking deadline?" Thalia asked, her voice at a dangerous edge.
"Yes." Nico said, through gritted teeth as he glared at Zeus who grimaced.
His wrath will be horrible, and I cannot hide you forever…But I will not take Nico and Bianca to the Underworld."
"Sometimes even a god can't do much." Hades said miserably. The demigods and some gods felt bad for him and Nico.
Hades wrung his hands. "Then, there is another option…I will build you a golden palace by the Styx."
Persephone sighed. Demeter gave a slight glare to Hades but there wasn't much heat behind it. She didn't know the whole story but knew that what was coming was not good.
Maria di Angelo laughed gently. "You are a kind man, my love…The gods wouldn't really hurt them."
"Oh dad and Hera would." Jason said darkly
"It was mostly father who had a problem." Apollo said
The demigods glared at Zeus.
"You don't know my family," Hades said darkly
The changing gods grimaced.
"Please, Maria, I can't lose you."… The children stopped playing as if they sensed something too.
The hairs on every demigods' neck stood up.
"Shit!" Leo said
"Something's very wrong." Piper said
"No!" Hades said. But even his godly powers were too slow…Lightning flashed across the sky, and thunder rumbled.
Hades broke down. Nico was trembling with fury. The demigods were all too disgusted by Zeus.
"What the heck?" Frank asked in disgust, all roman and military stuff disappearing.
"No Frank, I think it's que carajo." Leo said
Hestia didn't even chide Leo on his language. The demigods might not understand Spanish but they understood what Leo said because that's how they felt.
Nico's cousins were trying to hold Nico on his couch as the ground of Olympus was shaking. They were trying to calm him down before the pressure got too intense.
"This is freaking disgusting." Thalia snarled at Zeus
Jason nodded.
"I agree. There was no need at all for that." Hazel said, glaring daggers.
Nico's cousins gave him a group hug to calm him down. Then they gave side hugs to Hades. Persephone smiled at them.
"Well Thalia was right about Zeus ruining families. In ancient times it was Hera and now it's him. Perfect couple. Meant for each other." Beckendorf said angrily
"Some demigods don't have great families and Nico and Percy were lucky to have such mothers but he just screwed Nico's family." Castor said
Reyna continued reading, feeling very pissed off herself.
Little Nico and Bianca stared at their mother uncomprehendingly…but at the last moment he seemed to regain control.
The demigods sighed in relief. At least Nico and Bianca didn't get vaporized.
"Percy, you know Nico's alive." Thalia said
"Oh yeah." Percy said sheepishly.
"Take them," he told Alecto, choking back a sob…leaving Hades alone in the ruins.
"I get why our memories were removed but you could've told us." Nico said gently to his father
Hades sighed.
"I didn't want to traumatize you or for you to get grudges." He said
"Trauma is a bonus that comes with being a demigod. Don't worry about that. I get it now, like why you did what you did." Nico said casually and shrugged
"I warned you," a new voice said…Somehow, seeing her like this was even spookier than seeing her as a mummy
"She was twelve?" Connor asked
Percy gave him a quiet nod.
"You've killed the woman I loved!" Hades roared. "Your prophecy brought us to this!"
"It was not her fault. She only tells prophecies." Artemis said
Reyna continued reading quickly.
He loomed over the girl, but she didn't flinch…"I foresee the future," the girl said. "I cannot change it."
"Um sir, she's right there. She doesn't control the future only sees it." Rachel said
Hades looked at her and sighed.
"Uh, sometimes grief makes you do crazy stuff and so do flaws but that doesn't excuse a lot of actions." Percy said quickly
"Should I continue?" Reyna asked
"Yeah."
Black fire lit the god's eyes, and I knew something bad was coming. I wanted to yell at the girl to hide or run.
"Run!" The demigod yelled
"Hide!" The others yelled
"Then, Oracle, hear the words of Hades," he growled…The girl screamed, and the misty image was blasted to shreds.
There was silence. Apollo gave a slight glare to Hades.
"That was not good at all." Rachel said a little angrily
"You're the reason May couldn't host the spirit!" Hermes shouted. He started to get up. Hades tried to back into the couch.
"Percy." Nico said in panic.
"Travis." Percy said
"Dad, calm down please. Look, everybody has done something crazy and this was a big thing but you have to forgive some day. I know what he did was wrong but everybody succumbs to their fatal flaws at least once. This was one of those times." Travis said
Hermes looked at him. Travis grimaced. Hermes immediately regretted even the little bit of anger that might have showed on his face when he looked at Travis.
"I'm sorry Travis." He said and went and sat down.
Hades and Nico sighed in relief. Rachel was glaring at the floor but didn't say anything.
Nico fell to his knees in Persephone's garden…A black explosion filled my dreams. Then the scene changed.
"Sorry dad, I had to know." Nico said
Hades sighed.
"Nico's never going to be an outcast between us. That's our promise." Will said and gave Nico a hug.
The demigods nodded.
Nico and Hades smiled.
Rachel Elizabeth Dare was walking along a white sand beach…That was impossible. The dream had to be false.
"You knew Greek?" Annabeth asked
"No, I saw those words in a vision. I know it now though." Rachel said
Annabeth nodded.
I can read Greek, but I only recognized one word before the sea washed it away: _. My name: Perseus.
"Aw come one dad!" Percy complained
Poseidon chuckled.
Rachel stood abruptly and backed away from the surf…"Your mother and I have been looking forward to this vacation for a long time."
"OH COME ON! LISTEN TO HER!" The demigods yelled
Rachel snickered.
"No you haven't! You both hate the beach! You're just too stubborn to admit it."
"I feel offended." Triton said dramatically
"Me too." Percy agreed with equal drama.
Rachel grinned sheepishly.
"Now, Rachel—" "I'm telling you something is wrong in New York…"I can't tell you." "Then you can't go."
The demigods groaned.
Rachel closed her eyes like she was getting up her courage…We're leaving for New York. Yes… immediately."
"That was brave Rachel!" Piper said in awe
The demigods nodded.
Rachel grinned.
Rachel flung her arms around him, and her father seemed surprised…"Yes, Rachel," he agreed. "You most certainly will."
"That sounds ominous." Thalia said
Percy nodded.
The scene faded. I mumbled in my sleep: "Rachel, no!"… He has a message from Kronos."
"Done." Reyna said
"Break!" Percy cheered
"But what about the message?" Poseidon asked
"Aw come on dad, cliffhanger." Percy grinned
Poseidon chuckled.
"Paintball!" Tyson cheered
"Not exactly but similar big guy." Percy grinned.
"This is gonna be awesome." Clarisse grinned.