Chapter 9
Natalie's Past is Revealed
Percy's P.O.V.
I felt weird sitting on the boat, especially after drinking that gorgon blood. It made my stomach queasy. We all were quiet as the boat slowly rocked while moving. My whole head was hurting. But I was not getting any flashes now, on the bright side. It was as though my memory were slowly coming out of a vault in the corner of my mind, that it had been trying to escape out of it all this time. I remembered some weird things: fighting a bull man on the crest of a hill, going on a bus with a boy wearing a Rasta cap, and more of Annabeth.
By now I could figure out one thing. Annabeth was a demigod like me and that she loved architecture. I remembered a weird memory, falling into a lake with her, and kissing her. I don't know why, but I may or may not have blushed. I felt so desperate to want to meet her. 'Stay where you are,' she had said. And I had immediately set off for a quest. Until now, it had been just sailing and sailing. No proper destination. But now, when we knew where to go, it really felt dangerous. For the millionth time, I felt scared, but this time, it was more genuine than any other one. Just the nagging thought, that I might not see her again ever, made me want to run away.
But I couldn't step back now. I had to lead them right now. All my friends were broken. I had to be strong, at least for their sake. And now we had another companion. Ella was dozing off in the corner, her head tucked under her feathers. We had taken some food from Phineas' truck, and some books for Ella, because books were the only thing that calmed her down. As for the other three, they were sitting silently. Hazel was sitting as though someone had petrified her while she had a shocked expression on her face. Natalie was staring on the horizon, her chin resting on her right palm. Frank kept his head in his hands, dark circles beneath his eyes. I realized it had been so much time since he'd rested.
"Hey, Frank?"
He looked up, his eyes heavy. "Huh?"
"Why don't you and Hazel take some rest? It's been long since you slept."
None of the others seemed to hear, or they didn't just pay attention.
"No, it's fine. I'm not sleepy." he said.
"Come on, it's alright. Just go and sleep. I know you're tired. Just get some rest."
Frank tried to protest, but I finally convinced him and Hazel to take some rest. They both had taken the last watch, while I and Natalie were dozing off. They deserved it.
I didn't realize it, but I was subconsciously tugging at the chain Natalie had given me. I took it off and sat beside her. She didn't notice me.
"Hey sis?" I said.
"Yeah?" she asked, like she was just zapped from a trance.
"Here," I said, handing her the chain. "Good luck worked out."
She smiled weakly. "Yeah."
I waited. I thought she was going to say something, about whatever happened, but she didn't say anything. Which clearly meant she didn't want to talk. But I did. She had helped me while everything was wrong, when I didn't even remember my name. And here she was, sitting troubled, and I couldn't help it. I wanted to tell her that I didn't care about her past life, or anything, but I just didn't know how. Talking was not really my thing. But I finally summed up some words.
"Look, Natalie - I don't care what Phineas said–,"
"You don't know me, Percy. I'm not what you think I am. I'm a monster."
"Don't say that," I snapped.
She shook her head slowly. "Yeah, I am. I killed my own brother. What human would you expect to do this?"
I let that sink in. She was probably joking. Natalie wasn't someone who'd kill her own brother. The way she'd always been, I knew the real thing had been something, she just blamed herself for it.
"I don't know your past," I admitted. "But I know you enough to figure out that you won't ever do such a thing."
She gazed at the sun silently. Then she offered me her hand. I took it. And suddenly I wasn't there. I was falling into darkness and BOOM! I was standing in a familiar place, holding Natalie's hand, who stood beside me. The lawn of Natalie's house, but it was no longer wild. It was beautiful and green. It was evening. A man was standing in a corner, watering the plants. I recognized him from the picture in Natalie's house. It was her step father.
Two kids were playing football in one corner. They had sea green eyes and dark black hair. Natalie and her brother.
"What - where?"
"It's a flashback. I was six that time," Natalie said, pointing to the kids.
"You have these often? Flashbacks, I mean."
"No. I just felt like it would happen. I've been running away from this for years. Hiding everything. But I won't do that now."
The main gate opened. Natalie's mother stepped in, two shopping bags in her hand.
"Mum!" The kids ran over to her. "Have you brought anything for us?"
"Yeah, darlings," she said sweetly, taking out two identical chains. She tied them on the necks of the children.
"Remember, I'll always be with you. In here," she said, hugging them.
Natalie - the real one, who stood beside me, stared at the chain that was in her hand. She tied it back on her neck. Suddenly the temperature dropped. The hairs on my neck stood up. A howl - no, several howls came from outside the house. Then, as fast as a cheetah, a wolf jumped from beside the gate and landed near the family. It bared its teeth. Several other wolves joined the first one too. A man in a crisp suit walked through the gate. He had a wolfish face and his eyes were like slits. He slowly walked to the front and stroked a wolf.
"Ahhhh," he said, smiling contentedly. "We'll have half-bloods for dinner after a long time, my boys."
Natalie's mother stood forward.
"Lucy…," her step dad warned.
"You won't touch my children, Lycaon," she said.
"Who will stop us? Two clear sighted mortals and two untrained half-bloods?"
"My children are the demigods of Neptune. They have their father's blood. Bravery runs in their veins," she stated firmly. "Natalie, Ben, you remember what I told you about Lycaon and wolves?"
"Yeah, mum." the kids nodded.
"I'll explain everything after we're done with this."
The kids nodded again. I could see Mrs. Carter's steely determination, but I knew that she was freaking out from inside. She knew there was no escape from this situation. I really appreciated her bravery.
The wolves attacked. There was chaos everywhere. Lycaon started fighting with Natalie's mother. She was brave, and she even held Lycaon for some time, but she was no match for him. He slashed with claws and Mrs. Carter fell on the ground, dead.
"No!" the kids screamed. They took off their necklaces, the only thing they had and started attacking the wolves. Their step father went inside and bought a silver knife. He was very good for a mortal, but the wolves were too many. Lycaon stood and watched them fighting for their lives, as though this was the entertainment he wanted. Then suddenly another series of howls cut through the air. Lycaons smiled faded. His expression changed from amusement to anger.
"Curse Lupa and her wolves," he yelled, and ran away as fast as he could. The kids and Mr. Carter stood close to each other. Wolves came from nowhere. They all followed a big she wolf, who went near the kids. They held their necklaces, with which they'd been fending off the wolves, in an attacking stance. Lupa, the wolf goddess, by the looks of it, smiled. I'd never seen her smiling during my time with her. She spoke in wolf, that I clearly understood.
"You two are brave, for sure. You'll be loyal Romans."
The ground beneath me spun. The scene shifted. Natalie and her brother, now eight, were sitting in the dining hall of Camp Jupiter, with young Gwen and Dakota, and a blond boy, whom I assumed would've been Jason Grace. A column of flame suddenly ignited in the middle of the hall. Legionnaires stood up. When the flame died, Juno was standing there. She smiled towards the table where the five of them were sitting.
The scene shifted again. I was in the underworld. I didn't know how I knew it, but I just knew. I'd been there. We stood in a cave-like structure. At the right side was an endless chasm. I immediately recognised what it was. It led down to Tartarus. Standing together were four people. Natalie, her brother, Jason Grace and another girl older than the other whom I didn't recognize. Four cyclops guards with spears stood behind them. In the middle was a cylindrical rock, over which glinted a necklace. It was beautiful. But a protective layer of enchantment covered it.
Standing on the opposite side of the rock was another cyclops. This one was larger than the others. He had a single bloodshot eye, but his face wasn't bloodthirsty, or anything like Ma Gasket.
"We've come here to take the necklace," Jason said.
"The cyclops grumbled. "I know that. But you shall only have it when I want. And as for that….,"
He clapped his hands. The guards disarmed and captured Jason and the other girl. They tried to fight, but four cyclops for two disarmed kids were too much. Natalie and Ben tried to attack, but the big cyclops held up his hand.
"If you two do anything, I shall have your friends killed. That would be no good to either of us."
"What do you want?" Ben growled.
"You are brave, son of Neptune, to be asking this question here, with your friends captive. But I shall tell you what I want. You see those broken restraints?"
He pointed to a pair of bright red restraints on the left, then at his hands, which had burn marks.
"These restraints were enchanted to give me suffering. I am a cyclops, yes. I do have immunity against fire. But as I said, the restraints were enchanted. And do you know what landed me in this position?"
Ben shook his head. Natalie frowned, the look she always had when she was trying to remember something.
"Of course you don't. Jupiter kept it quiet. Didn't want any mortal knowing. My name is Dolion. I was one of the best cyclops craftsmen of that time. I was a son of Neptune, had a beautiful family, a beautiful wife, a small kid. Then one day Jupiter called me," Dolion winced, as though the memory still gave him pain.
"Jupiter wanted me to steal Neptune's trident. He sent me to my father's realm. He was good towards me that time. He was happy to see me visit. But when I got caught, he took me to Jupiter. I pleaded with him, not to punish me. Jupiter and Neptune had a very nasty fight. Minerva solved the conflict, but Neptune disowned me. And you know what Jupiter did? He punished me for being in these chains for a millenia. To get tortured, and Neptune happily accepted that. And not only that, do you know how he punished my family for staying with me, easing my pain? He made my wife push my kid over the ledge. Into Tartarus."
Natalie's mouth fell open. Ben looked aghast. Jason and the other girl, who were being held by the guards, also stopped struggling. Dolion shot a nasty look at Jason.
"I should have killed you right now," he pointed at Jason. "But feel lucky that I'm not nasty as your father, boy. I will only take my revenge. Then the necklace is yours, and my guards will safely see you out of the underworld."
"But what do you want? What revenge?"
"I've suffered so much pain throughout the millennia. My punishment period was over, but no one cared to free me. Then these friends helped me. They freed me. I don't think Jupiter is exactly my enemy here. He tasked me with something, I failed to do it, so he punished me. That was normal behaviour for anyone like him, especially because his honour was affected. But Neptune? He didn't even look back once. He disowned me. He even let my child die. My wife, out of so much pain, jumped after him. They haven't reformed yet. And I live alone. Do you know how this feels, demigod? No. But I want Neptune to feel the same."
Natalie and Ben tensed. "You betrayed your own father!"
"I did what I was tasked to. Zeus was my master. But he should have been more of a father. So, now Neptune should feel the pain. And for that," he pointed to Natalie. "You girl, will push your brother off that ledge. Neptune does love his demigods. Let him feel what I felt like."
Natalie's eyes widened. "No, I won't do it." She pulled her sword.
"Then your friends shall die." He gestured to the guards. They started strangling their captives. Jason and the girl struggled, but there was no escape. Their movements started growing slow. Their eyes were almost up in their head now.
"No! Stop it! Please." Natalie pleaded.
Dolion waved his hand. The cyclops let the kids drop. They fell on the floor, eyes closed, completely limp.
"They're not dead, but if you don't do what I want….."
"Please," Natalie glanced at her brother, tears streaming down her face. "I can't."
Ben looked at her, a look of steely determination in his eyes.
"Natalie…. You have to. You can. You are brave. This is the only way. Push me."
"No."
"Come on, you have to. If you don't, we all are gonna die anyway. You can do it."
He led her to the ledge, and stood with his back facing the chasm. He hugged Natalie. He pulled away, and looked at her.
"Come on, you can do it."
"I can't. Please," Natalie sobbed.
Beside me, the real Natalie, squeezed my hand. She had a tear streaking down her right eye.
"You are brave. You can. I love you."
Natalie raised her hands, and pushed Ben off the ledge. He fell inside, never to be seen again. Natalie fell on her knees. Tears flowed endlessly from her eyes. The cyclops lifted Jason and the other girl, still unconscious, and grabbed Natalie's hand, pulling her away from the ledge, and the underworld. The scene shifted.
We were standing in a makeshift camp. A fire burned outside it. Natalie was hugging her knees, her eyes red and puffy. I could tell it was the same day, the time when they had gotten out of the underworld. It was a clearing between the woods. A full moon glinted in the night sky.
"Get some rest. I'll take the first watch," his voice sounded broken. But he didn't show it.
"No, you and Lorraine sleep," Natalie said in a hoarse voice.
"No you–,"
"Please."
Jason shared a look with the girl, clearly understanding the message. She needed some time by herself.
Natalie sat alone facing the fire, lost in thought. Then, out of nowhere a sparrow came flying over to her. But it wasn't a normal sparrow. It was made of water. It sat on Natalie's shoulder. She glanced beside. The sparrow tilted it's head.
"You want me to come with you?" she asked slowly.
The sparrow chirped. Natalie grabbed a dagger from behind her and followed. We followed them. Now, if it had been me, I wouldn't have so easily followed a bird, even with a weapon, because monsters tend to trick you a lot. But something told me that it was safe. In fact, as I followed them, the air started becoming a warm ocean breeze in the chilly night. The smell of the salty sea became more strong as we went farther.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"To meet someone."
"Who?"
She flicked her chin. We were near a natural geyser. And standing beside it was a bearded man in a Hawaiian shirt. I immediately felt attached to him. I realized I was looking at my dad, Neptune. The other Natalie (gods, it was difficult with two Natalies around) lowered her dagger.
"Natalie…,"
"I don't want to talk to you," she said firmly in the sea god's face.
"I know. I know I haven't been exactly the father you asked for–,"
"You let him die? You, of all people, could have saved him. Dolion was right. You don't care about your children. You're not my father. I don't have any father. I am an orphan now."
Anger flared in the god's eye. But he controlled it. He moved towards her and put his hand on her shoulder.
"Do not say that. You are not an orphan. You are my daughter. You are a daughter of the sea, one of the most powerful demigods of the millenia. Never say, or think that you don't have a family."
Natalie calmed down a bit, because her voice was not accusing now, just full of pain. "Then why did you let it happen?"
"Do you really think Dolion was right?"
Natalie waited for a moment.
"No. He betrayed you, his own father. He should have been angry with Jupiter, not you. You didn't punish him. But he was right about one thing, you should at least have taken care of his family, visited him from time to time."
Neptune looked at her with a strange look.
"You know what happened exactly between me and Jupiter while Dolion waited outside our chamber? We were so angry, we almost destroyed the world, until Minerva mediated. I don't appreciate her, but she did save the whole world that day. I took care of his family, told them everything, helped them in taking care of Dolion. But Jupiter didn't like it. I wasn't allowed to visit him, for the sake of the world."
Natalie glared at him. I could imagine what was going on in her mind. She just lost her brother, and now meeting with Neptune, it must have been pretty hard on her.
"You think I'm lying? Dolion thought so. As I couldn't interfere, I sent some cyclops to help him. I even told him all this. But he didn't believe me. He was filled with hatred and anger against me. Remember one thing, Natalie. I don't know about other gods, but I do care about my children. I have to keep away from them, for peace between me and Jupiter, and indirectly, all the gods. But I do care….Dolion thought I enjoyed all this. But nobody knows what it felt like to me."
"But why are you telling this to me?"
"Because you were thinking of me exactly as Dolion did. I wanted to make it clear that you are not alone, not an orphan. You are my daughter."
Natalie looked a bit embarrassed. Both were silent for a moment. Thousands of thoughts were running in my mind, and all were clashing so badly that they were ripping my mind apart.
"I must go now. But remember, you are not alone. Whenever you feel like it, just keep a hand on your heart, and you'll find that I'm always with you."
He dissolved into water, and the scene shifted again. This time I was in a familiar place. Mount Othrys, the base of the titans. Black marble walls were destroyed. There was chaos everywhere. The place looked a mess. Black thick fog swirled. Battle raged on, legionnaires against hordes of monsters, demigods and titans. I was near a cave-like structure. A demigod knelt beneath a misty floor, holding it above his head.
Atlas, I didn't know how I recognized him, was fighting with the legionnaires, along with a whole bunch of monsters. Legionnaires battled him, but couldn't win. He was too strong for all of them. Natalie battled with a giant in one corner. She finished off with him and turned towards Atlas. At the very precise moment, Atlas stabbed the girl, Lorraine in her gut. She fell on the floor.
"No!" Natalie shouted.
Demigods faltered. Atlas laughed maniacally. Then, Natalie did something that would have either been classified as extremely stupid or exceptionally heroic. In the loudest voice she could, she yelled.
"Atlas, I challenge you to single combat."
Everyone gaped at her. The battle still raged on away from that area, but everyone, demigods alike, faced them. Even Atlas looked surprised. Natalie had that same steely look on her face like her mother had had while facing Lycaon.
"Are you foolish, girl. I smell the sea in your blood. You are a daughter of Neptune. Should have known, the children of that kelp head would be stupid. You can't defeat me. Even Diana found it hard. Do you think you are a match for me?"
"Are you afraid of your defeat, Atlas?"
"Bah!" Atlas yelled. He charged at Natalie with blinding speed, but she parried his strike. They were fighting like two flashes, so fast it was hard to tell what was going on. Others, now charged with energy, resumed their fight.
The real Natalie beside me gazed at herself fighting Atlas. "You know, at that moment, I was only thinking one thing. I won't let another person die. I just knew it was the only way to save all the others. And….I really find it stupid now. But I just challenged him."
"That was really brave of you." I said, and I really meant it. "Fighting against a titan, that was really really heroic."
I looked back at the battle. Natalie had a nasty cut on her head. She was bleeding badly. There were numerous cuts and scars on her hands. Atlas had a slash on his neck. Blood and ichor fell on the ground as both of them fought.
Natalie was backing up Atlas near the demigod bearing the weight of the sky. She knew Atlas was immortal, she couldn't defeat him, but she could incapacitate him. She backed up. Then she charged at him, aiming for his legs. At the last moment, as Atlas was about to stab her in the gut she feinted and used his big sword as a jumping board and kicked him in the gut. He fell back against the demigod, who fell back and scrambled away as fast as he could in his condition. The weight of the sky was back on his shoulders. I'd been so distracted watching the fight I realized the legionnaires had emptied the place. But there still were many monsters. Natalie (not the real one beside me) muttered. "This is gonna be fun."
She charged and the scene shifted again. I was not at all getting tired of this, because I really wanted to know about her. I was back in our barracks. Natalie was sitting on her bunk, holding a laurel. She was clutching her silver necklace, lost in thought. A hint of sadness glinted on her face. Then again, out of nowhere the water sparrow came and started chirping. It started flying above her head.
"Hey!" Natalie whispered. "Knock it off, you're gonna wake up everyone. Take me where you want to."
The sparrow chirped happily and sat on her shoulder. A layer of water engulfed her. And suddenly, she was standing in an open courtyard. A fountain with a statue of Neptune glowed in the centre. Beautiful flowers bloomed all around.
"Whoa!" Natalie exclaimed.
"You like it?" A voice behind her asked. Neptune was standing, but this time he wore a battle armour. His face was the same as always, bearded with a mischievous glint, but his expression was somehow solemn.
"Dad? Where am I?"
"On the six hundredth floor of the Empire State Building, Manhattan."
Her eyes widened. "I'm in NYC?"
"As you've learned, the important places relocate as the heart of the west shifts. Mount Olympus is now sitting on the top of the Empire State Building now."
"I'm on Mount Olympus? Wow!"
"This is Neptune's courtyard, or simply my courtyard. The place was named in my honour."
Natalie looked around and frowned. "But….it looks... different. I mean, not that I've seen it before, but it looks weird."
"That's because it was just attacked by Saturn, but fortunately we won, and the Second Titan War has now ended."
Natalie looked perplexed. "But what am I doing here?"
"I called you here, to talk to you."
Now he had touched the touchy subject, talking. Being casual, normal was cool, but talking, that was different.
"Today, you've defeated Atlas, a feat even the bravest of gods would admire. You've brought honour to your name and parentage. Done something perhaps the bravest of heroes would fear."
Natalie bushed to the roots of her black hair. "It was - I just–,"
"Got carried away while fighting? Could have fooled me. And bravery deserves reward. I've called you for yours."
"What reward?"
Neptune chuckled. "You'll know when the time comes."
Now I understood what that meant. The pegasus had said the same thing. It was the reward that Neptune was talking about.
"Thank you, I guess."
"I know you're thinking of your brother. Ben would have been proud today, not only him, but also Lucy. I do miss them, but if they had been here today, they would have said the same thing. I'm proud of you."
Natalie, if possible blushed harder. "I'll make it stay that way, then."
Neptune gazed over the river from the courtyard. Three specks were flowing along with the water. I couldn't really recognize what they were, but it felt like three people were riding on horses on the river. Neptune fixed his stare at them. He chuckled.
"Perhaps it really is a day to be proud of my children."
Natalie frowned. "Wait - children? I thought I–,"
"Goodbye Natalie. Take care."
"Hey!"
But Neptune had already turned into water and vanished. Natalie cursed, and I was sure she wouldn't have dared say something like at the time Neptune was around.
"That's why I don't like Neptune," a voice said. A goddess materialized in front of Natalie. She wore a battle armour and held a spear, and looked like an athlete. She had stormy gray eyes, just like Annabeth, and I had this nagging feeling that I'd met her. "He always leaves with only half of the information. Half-knowledge is the most dangerous thing in the world."
Natalie bowed. "Lady Minerva."
Minerva raised her eyebrows. "A child of Neptune who bows to Minerva? Don't you know your father and I are not on good terms, girl?"
"I do. But I also know that you're the wisest of all gods. I don't think the mutual rivalry between you and my father makes you any less respectable."
"I appreciate your wisdom for that, but I don't think your father might approve. But I have come here for another reason. I do not like being near anything that is in the honour of Neptune."
"To what do I owe the pleasure?"
The goddess' face remained passive. "I am the goddess of wisdom, Natalie Carter. I have come here to tell you about your fatal flaw."
"My fatal flaw."
"I rarely favour a child of Neptune. But you are wise. Your flaw is getting lost in your own past. A flaw which might be common amongst many half-bloods, but is one of the most potentially dangerous ones."
Natalie let that sink in. She stayed silent. Perhaps she couldn't figure out what to say to the goddess.
"And for that matter," Minerva spoke in her regal voice. "I have come to give you advice. Remember, the pain of before is always a hope for what is to come."
Natalie scrunched her eyebrows. "I do not understand."
The goddess cracked a small smile, as though she found it very amusing. "I am sure you don't. But you will when the time comes. Until then, good bye, Natalie Carter. Good luck."
Natalie bowed, and the goddess disappeared in a flash of light. The courtyard was silent except for the gurgle of the fountain. The sparrow, which had been sitting on a tree the whole time, flew towards Natalie and started chirping. She raised her palm and the sparrow landed on it. Natalie smiled.
"Take me back to Camp Jupiter."
The ground dissolved, and I fell into darkness. I found myself sitting on the boat, breathing hard. I was back from the flashback. Natalie still maintained a poker face. Then she stood up and grabbed her pack.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"Somewhere far away. I know you don't want me. You can tell everything to Hazel and Frank when they wake up. I'm leaving for good."
"What?" I was aghast. "Are you stupid. Of course I want you along. None of that was your fault."
"You don't understand, Percy. I could have saved everyone who died saving me. But I couldn't. Everything is my fault."
"Don't say that!" I snapped.
"People who have gone on quests with me have died. I'm bad luck to have around. Ben, I killed him myself. You saw what happened with Lorraine? Murdered brutally by Atlas. That Vulcan quest? The members along with me were Gwen, Dakota and Henry, a centurion of the third cohort. Henry died in the battle too. And Gwen, she was lucky that Thanatos was captured, or else she would have met the same fate. And now Jason's missing too. I don't even know what's happened to him. I don't even know if he's alive or…."
"Look, none of that is your fault. You're running away from everything, when you should stand firmly. You owe your life to the people who saved you. And they would have wanted you to fight. That's what Minerva said. You're getting lost in your past."
Natalie was silent. But I continued.
"Whatever happened, it wasn't your fault, alright? They chose their destiny, and you have to choose yours. Running away is never a solution. And whatever happens, you are not leaving. You are the only thing close to a family for me."
The silence was cut by Ella's soft snores.
"I don't blame you for anything, neither does anyone else. So just snap out of it and come with us."
Natalie thought about this for a moment. Then she dropped her pack. I breathed a sigh. Then Natalie did something that I would never have expected. She hugged me tightly. I hugged her back. For once, I didn't feel completely lost. I did have someone who understood me, and whom I understood. I did have a shoulder to relieve me of my pain. I tried to put many unsaid sentences in that hug, and Natalie understood too. She pulled back and looked at me gratefully.
"Thank you."
"Anytime."
"So, what about your memories?" she asked. "Is gorgon's blood working something up?"
"Yeah, I do remember bits. But mostly Annabeth."
She straightened up. "Do you remember anything about her? Any clue with which we can find her?"
"Yeah, a few things. I know that she's a demigod, and attended a camp with me where I trained."
"A camp?"
"Yeah," I nodded. "And she's a daughter of the goddess we saw in the flash."
I didn't know why I didn't say Minerva. It just felt wrong.
"But, Percy…. that's - that's impossible. Minerva is a maiden goddess. Roman gods and goddesses are very strict about these vows. That's why there's no child of Minerva at camp."
"I don't mean her," I said quickly. "I mean her greek form."
She raised an eyebrow. "You mean Athena?"
She said Athena in a different way. As though she didn't exactly know what to say about her. I nodded.
"Maybe in her greek form, she has kids. Which means that the camp you come from might be a camp for Greek demigods."
"Yeah, and there's another thing. I think I'm a greek too. The son of–,"
"Poseidon. But that's bad. That's very bad. We were told greek demigods were…,"
"Why? Why is that bad?"
"The Greeks and Romans didn't get along. They were arch enemies. Whenever they met, all that happened was bloodshed. The last civil war was fought between them. We were told Greeks were extinct, but some Romans do believe Greek demigods are around, plotting the downfall of the Twelfth Legion. And by some, I mean Octavian's sort."
I remembered something. "That's why Lars became restless when they saw me. They were muttering Graecus."
"If you're from a camp of greek demigods….I don't think this is gonna end up well. It might result in another Civil War. Maybe something more horrible than that. And Gaea's rising too. And you arrive at the same time. This is really bad."
I remembered Juno, and something clicked in my mind. I felt like pieces of a puzzle were slowly coming together, forming a clear image.
"Juno said to me that it was an exchange. But an exchange goes both ways. If I'm from the greek camp, and Juno has sent me to Camp Jupiter, then ..."
"Jason must be at your camp. That's it. That's where he is!"
"But why did Juno do this? You remember, Iris also said that Juno is playing her tricks. And I had a dream of Annabeth telling me to stay where I am, as if she knew."
The last piece was still missing. The hardest piece of the puzzle. Natalie gasped.
"If we are guessing this right, then I think Juno did this to bring both camps together. Maybe she took Jason's memory away too, and when he got that back, they figured out you were here. Jason must have told them the location of the camp. Maybe that's what Juno wanted. The line of the Great Prophecy - 'Foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.' That must mean the Greeks and Romans. This is it. This is Juno's plan. And your friends, they must be coming to Camp Jupiter."
Everything cleared up now. If we were right, then Annabeth must be coming to meet me. But before that, I had to get back safely to Camp Jupiter. And if I succeeded, there were still Polybotes and his army to look forward to too. Hurray!
Just then, Frank and Hazel came outside.
"We've got something to tell you." Frank said.
"And we've got something to tell you too." I replied.
Natalie squinted.
"I think we should do it right now. We're approaching Seattle, the base of the Amazons. We're supposed to ask for her help, right?"
I nodded. "So, here's what happened while you both were sleeping…"
I started telling them what I and Natalie saw and figured out, and they told me their thing. We traded our stories as we approached Seattle, and after we'd finished, I felt like I was at home, because we'd all become so good friends now, that we'd be so. Forever. Even if the Earth cracks up or the sky explodes.