Poseidon groaned. Percy grinned sheepishly.
"What were you thinking?" Clarisse cradled Silena's head…The Ares campers developed a sudden interest in their combat boots.
Clarisse looked down.
"Don't blame them," Silena said. "They wanted to…A cold fist closed around my heart. "You were the spy."
The gods were glad that Silena had told them before.
Beckendorf had Silena in a tight embrace.
Silena tried to nod. "Before…before I liked Charlie…had just yanked the world out from under her feet.
Annabeth looked down.
Behind us, the battle raged. Clarisse scowled at her cabin mates…Finally Annabeth closed Silena's eyes.
The Greek demigods bit their lips to stop the tears that were threatening to fall.
"We have to fight." Annabeth's voice was brittle…"I've never seen it in person before."
Clarisse and Frank smiled.
"You deserved it." Ares said proudly. Clarisse blushed under the praise.
For the moment, Clarisse was as invincible as I was…I'll make sure she comes inside."
Everybody chuckled.
"They won't last long," I said. "But I'm glad you came."…"That's it," I insisted. "End of story." "Right," Travis mumbled.
"Thank you, Percy." Silena and Clarisse said. Percy waved it away with a smile.
"Listen, we figure the Titan's army will have trouble getting up the elevator…"Maybe that's not true," I said
"Yeah, um like the 'maybe' is there." Nico said
Percy chuckled.
I went outside and put a hand on Mrs. O'Leary's muzzle…He closed his eyes for the last time.
Hermes, Dionysus and Grover closed their eyes in respect.
Grover gulped. He put his hand on Leneus' forehead…"A laurel," Grover said in awe. "Oh, that lucky old goat."
Hermes and Dionysus smiled at Apollo. Apollo gave a sad smile and shared looks with the Romans who swallowed, remembering Don.
"Lucky indeed." Artemis nodded.
He gathered up the sapling in his hands…Now I know. I hope you're happy."
"Why are you taking it out on him?" Thalia asked Annabeth who grimaced.
"Sorry Percy." She said.
"It's okay." Percy said, giving a strained smile.
"That doesn't make me happy." She put her head against the elevator wall…using nature magic songs to heal burns and poison
The gods winced.
As Grover planted the laurel sapling, Annabeth and I went…I didn't want to find out.
The Apollo gang flinched.
My heart felt like lead, but we tried to find positive things to say…"Leneus turned into a shrub!" Grover told a groaning satyr.
"Not very positive, Grover." Travis said, giving a weak chuckle.
I found Dionysus's son Pollux propped up against a tree. He had a broken arm, but otherwise he was okay.
The Dionysus's gang sighed in relief. Then Dionysus gritted his teeth in pain.
"Uh oh." Dakota said. Castor took the book from his father and continued.
"I can still fight with the other hand," he said…I could tell he was kind of relieved.
Dionysus sighed in relief as his hand was fine now.
Pollux gave him and Percy small smiles. Though, he thought that he would actually like it if Percy would've told him but he was glad that his dad asked Percy to make sure that he was safe.
Annabeth, Grover, and I kept walking toward the palace…the center of the gods' power.
The gods winced.
The bronze doors creaked open…little girl in brown robes, hunched at its edge, shivering.
The gods gave worried looks to Hestia as she smiled at them.
The Ophiotaurus swam sadly in his sphere of water…She dragged him out of the throne room.
Everybody chuckled. Grover and Annabeth grinned sheepishly.
Over by the fire, Hestia was huddled in her robes…I wanted to complain that no, I wasn't even close to prepared.
Everybody sighed in sympathy for Percy.
I looked at Pandora's jar, and for the first time I had an urge…I'd seen so many cruel things the gods had done.
The gods flinched and the demigods grimaced.
Zeus destroying Maria di Angelo, Hades cursing the last Oracle…"Should we, um, leave again?"
"You looked concerned, worried and close to breaking down." Grover said. Percy grimaced.
"Yeah, that probably looked strange." He said
Suddenly I felt like someone had injected me with steel…"Hestia," I said, "I give this to you as an offering."
The gods stared at Percy.
"That's very impressive." Triton said. Percy gave a small smile.
The goddess tilted her head. "I am the least of the gods…"You're the last Olympian," I said. "And the most important."
The gods nodded and smiled at Hestia and Percy.
"And why is that, Percy Jackson?"…The hearth fire burned a little brighter
The sea gang and Chiron looked proudly at Percy.
"Well done, Percy Jackson," she said…so I could just reach the edge of the seat if I stretched my arms.
Zeus glared at Percy.
"Are you insane?!" Thalia exclaimed
"I had to contact dad and that was the only way." Percy said
Thalia and Poseidon shook their heads.
"You are insane." Triton decided
"Help me up," I told Annabeth and Grover. "Are you crazy?" Annabeth asked…"Well," Annabeth said, "this'll get his attention."
"Definitely." Poseidon grumbled.
"Sorry, dad." Percy said sheepishly. Poseidon sighed and wrapped a hand around Percy's shoulders.
They linked their arms to make a step, then boosted me onto the throne…Why shouldn't he be the greatest of the twelve?
Poseidon chuckled and Zeus grumbled and glared and scowled at Percy.
Then I shook my head. Concentrate…I blasted, you would now be a puddle of seawater.
Triton chuckled despite his worries.
"You're in trouble, brother." He told Percy.
Percy grinned sheepishly and Poseidon chuckled.
"I'm sorry," I said again. "Listen, things are rough up here."…I thought I'd gone too far, but then the trembling eased.
"No, you were right." Poseidon shook his head.
"The war." Tyson muttered
In the background of my mental link, I heard underwater explosions…Though "peanut butter" is a strange battle cry.
Tyson grinned sheepishly.
Stop changing the subject! ...The game room alone took six hundred years.
Everybody chuckled.
"I'm sure the game room can be built again." Triton shook his head.
"I'm not even done with half of it yet." Poseidon said.
"I can help." Annabeth offered. Percy grinned.
"Sure. Thank you." Poseidon said gratefully. Annabeth smiled.
"Dad—"
"Percy's like I- don't even know.' Travis laughed
"He's like 'I'm done." Connor said
"Actually, that is very accurate." Percy laughed. The Stolls grinned and Poseidon grinned sheepishly.
Very well! It shall be as you say…Oh…yes. Good point.
Everybody laughed.
Amphitrite—incoming! The sound of a large explosion shattered our connection…The hair on my arms was singed.
Poseidon rubbed his hands as he felt the curse.
"If you'd sat there any longer," Annabeth said, "you would've spontaneously combusted.
"He should've been dead already. No mortal or demigod can or should be able to survive that." Zeus said
"Maybe the curse of Achilles protected him." Frank said
"That might delay it but by the looks of it, the conversation lasted at least a couple of minutes. Even that should result in some burns." Ares said
"I kept most of the energy controlled. The Achilles curse protected him as well and well he's my son and he sat on my throne so that had some effect as well." Poseidon explained
The others nodded. Percy smiled at his father.
I hope the conversation was worth it?"
"Yep." Tyson said.
Moo, said the Ophiotaurus in his sphere of water…Her bow was snapped in half and her quiver was empty
The archery people grimaced.
"Not good." Zoe said. Thalia nodded and sighed.
"You've got to get down there," she told us…And Kronos is leading them
"Done." Castor said
"I'll read." Reyna said.