Chapter 48

I Take the Plunge (Unwillingly)

Prometheus only showed up in time for the party, which was so him.

We were in the shadow of Pagomenos's temple. Or I guess that was Pagomenos's former temple now. Not because anything happened to the building, but because the guy— whatever, you get the point. Anyway, the courtyard around it had been repurposed. Tents and beds were set up for the injured. Kids were running around carrying bandages. Bianca, Irene, Eddie and I watched it all from the edges, Bianca's leg wrapped and the rest of us taking weight off our bruises. Hector had disappeared some time earlier mumbling something about coordinating, and we hadn't seen him since.

Not that things were all gloomy. A stage had been put up in the middle, and for every table of medical equipment there was one covered in food. Streamers had been hung haphazardly. Just as the celebration was really getting started, music pumping from speakers along the sides of the stage, Prometheus showed his oversized head.

The moment we saw him, Bianca grabbed his collar. The knife in her hand was just ready enough to be a reminder— answer wrong, and this goes through you.

"Name one reason why I shouldn't stab you on the spot," she said.

"First," Prometheus said, "is there a particular reason that you should?"

"You set us up!"

"Did I?"

I was sure we were about to see a titan bleed, but Irene grabbed Bianca's wrist.

"He helped us," she said. "Without him, Eddie and I never would have found Hector in time. He told us exactly where to go."

"Yeah," I said, "which he probably knew because Pagomenos told him."

"Exactly." Prometheus smiled. "Glad you're catching on. It was the best plan. I had to convince Pagomenos that I was on his side—"

"Which you did by sending us into a massive ambush."

Prometheus ignored me. "And once I was trusted, I brought his plan down from the inside, freeing Hector. Genius, no?"

"More like batshit insane," Bianca said. "That plan is ridiculous."

"And yet," Prometheus pointed out, "it worked."

There was a moment where nobody moved. Then, in the background, a bunch of Hyperboreans started a conga line. I don't know if you've ever tried, but it's pretty difficult to keep the tension after something like that.

Bianca sheathed her knife. "Next time, give us a heads up. Or else."

Before Prometheus could answer, the music cut. Hector appeared on the stage with a microphone in hand.

He'd spruced himself up since the battle. His usual clothes had been swapped out for a tuxedo identical to the one Prometheus usually wore, but in a bigger size. His hair had been parted with gel. Most noticeably, the sword of Damocles was still with him. Strapped across his back, it amplified the grin he gave the crowd, wooing the masses before he'd ever opened his mouth.

"Hey— err, I mean, hi. Hello. Sorry, sorry, the music will be back in a minute. Before that, there's a few things I need to say."

He shifted between his feet, free hand fiddling with his shirt cuff. You could tell he was nervous, but it came off in an endearing way, like you were listening to a close friend make a toast.

"First off, I don't know if I can call today a good day. I can definitely call yesterday a bad day, for me at least. Someone I thought of like a second father tried to kill me. I don't expect I have to tell any of you about Pagomenos's betrayal?"

The silence said it all. Hector cleared his throat.

"Thought so. It's… it doesn't feel real still, if I'm honest. There was a time in my life when I believed in the Hyperboreades more than anything. I'm sure many of you were the same. But it turns out Pagomenos was terrified of change. He couldn't handle it. And pushing everything else aside, that's why we're without him now. Because change is exactly what we need."

"I'm not the oldest or wisest out of us. If it were only up to me, I wouldn't pick myself to be in charge. But you all seem to have chosen me. Whatever I think, that's not something I can ignore. So I'll do it. I'll lead."

The crowd roared, sounding as loud as you'd expect a crowd of giants to sound. Hector yelled into the microphone to be heard over the noise:

"There is one thing Pagomenos had right though! Without the tribes, our home is safe for the first time! We owe a debt! This is my first decision as leader— our support will be with those who helped us, whatever they ask!"

His eyes picked me out, which was impressive considering I was hemmed in by blue bodies three times my size. The crowd roared even louder, and if he'd been planning on saying more he thought better of it, settling for, "Let's get that music back on!"

Hyperboreans know how to throw a party. After every song the genre would change, going from EDM to jazz to Alt Rock, keeping everybody happy. They had moves. Couples dancing ballroom weaved between breakdancers. Eddie spent a while doing a pretty good worm, although when I got close I nearly fell over. Apparently I wasn't the only one that could make earthquakes.

I danced for a while, but my body was aching from all the fighting. I switched to people-watching. Emmitt had shown up at some point. I guess Daphne opened a path for him. He was dancing the waltz with one of the Heliades and doing way better than I could have, but still looked red enough to be a brunette strawberry. I had a feeling that was more to do with the hand he had on the pretty nymph's back than his dancing abilities though.

Bianca had commandeered a lawn chair for the injured, which to be fair, she was. Her leg still couldn't take her full weight. Last I saw she'd passed out, snoring. Doing the opposite, Prometheus was in the thick of the crowd, shaking any hand he could get a hold of, mouth moving to pass on slick compliments. Always a politician.

"Not dancing?"

Hector appeared next to the refreshment table I was leaning against, a cup of blue Powerade in his hand.

"Nah. Too sore. What about you?"

He stopped beside me, undoing a button and yanking his collar open. "In these clothes? Not a chance. I'm overheating just standing here."

"Who got that suit on you in the first place?"

"Prometheus. Said something about a leader needing to keep his image up and shoved it in my arms. I would've refused, but it seemed like it made him happy."

"Made who happy? Prometheus?"

"I wouldn't care what that guy thinks. I'm talking about— oh, speak of the daemon."

From the crowd, coming our way, was a swan. It was the normal kind, and nothing would've been strange about it if it wasn't hopping on one foot.

"Uh, hi," I said, because this swan came right up to me, chirping.

"He's really wanted to thank you," Hector said. "Honestly he wouldn't shut up about it."

"He—" I trailed off, eyes going to the swan's one leg. "No way. Hesperos?"

The swan bobbed its head, trilling happily.

A mix of emotions ran through me. For one, it was hard to think of this bird as the giant I'd been sharing a house with just a few days ago. But what came out my mouth was, "Your leg is still crippled!"

It seemed so sad. All that time with one working leg, and even swan-ifying hadn't fixed him. Then Hector shook his head.

"Look closer."

I blinked. Then I squinted. Hesperos was on one leg, his other tucked back against his plumage, except…

"You're standing on the foot that was hurt!"

"Hooonk!" Hesperos agreed happily, hopping up and down.

"He's so excited to have that foot back that it's the only one he'll use." Hector shook his head. "It's already made him fall three times, but he's sticking with it."

"Honk," Hesperos said again. Then he spotted Emmitt. Still hopping, he took off into the crowd, beelining it onto the dance floor to give Emmitt the same thanks he gave me.

"The stress was too much for him," Hector said, watching his dad go.

"He seems happy now," I pointed out.

"Of course he is. He has his son back, got his revenge for mom, and can walk again. He's on cloud nine. But yesterday, things were different. Eddie and Irene said he was such a mess while I was missing that the transformation took over. They were so busy taking care of him that they never realized Pagomenos hadn't told the other guards our plan. That guy really did think of everything."

"Except you claiming the sword."

"True." He pulled the sword of Damocles off his back. Right now, with no attention on us, it just looked like a regular old blade, emphasis on old. Hector smiled. "To tell the truth, I hated this sword. Dad told you how mom died?"

I nodded. "That was what she stole, wasn't it? When the Arimaspoi chased them into the valley, it was to get that sword back."

Hector held it up, turning the blade over as if searching for a message on its glinting edge. "For years it hung in our house. I couldn't stand looking at it. But, for some reason, when I started exploring the mountains and mapping out all those passages, it just felt right to bring it with me. Like I was drawn to it."

I remembered what Pagomenos said about Hector being a natural leader. He probably had been drawn to it— and it to him.

Across the crowd, some sort of commotion started. Someone was shouting, and people were gathering.

"I should check that out," Hector said.

"I'll come," I said. "I'm not doing anything over here anyway."

We worked our way over. Pushing through crowds is easier when they're not made up of 600-pound bystanders, but somehow we broke through.

What we found was a scene I had to blink to check I was actually seeing. I'd fantasized about something a whole lot like it, so I just needed to make sure.

Alex, Pagomenos's lackey that had sold us out, was on the ground holding his face. Standing above him, fist stained from breaking his nose, was Irene.

"How dare you step foot here?" Irene hissed.

"What are you doing?" Alex slurred. Behind him, a few mean-faced Hyperboreans I recognized from Pagomenos's old honor guard cracked their knuckles, looking ready to brawl.

Irene didn't back down. "Do you think I'm stupid? I saw you. All of you," her glare covered the ex-guards, too, "ran off! When Pagomenos was revealed you tried to get away. And now you slink back in after we defended this place? I don't care whether you're traitors or cowards. Whichever it is, you deserve what's coming!"

The crowd at her back cheered her on. The ex-guards started to move forward, only for Eddie to appear behind them. He had streamers stuck in his hair and Powerade stains around his mouth, but still stood a head taller than the other Hyperboreans. Just when the first punch was about to be thrown — or second, I guess, looking at Alex's flat nose — Hector shoved his way into the middle.

"Timeout!" he called, holding his hands in a T-shape. "We can talk this out rationally, can't we? We're all adults here."

"Don't help them," Irene said. "They earned this."

"Still," Hector said, "we'll at least be thorough." He turned to the crowd. "Did anyone else see these men desert the battle?"

"Thank you sir," Alex said, reaching out to hold onto Hector's pant leg. "You won't regret stopping her. She's insane!"

Hector looked at him like a slug that had oozed onto his sock. "Don't touch me. You sold my friends out, working right under Pagomenos. Your fate is sealed. What I'm asking is whether the others are equally guilty."

"What? No!"

Alex tried to grab Hector's other leg, too, but I stomped his hand into the ground.

"Oops," I said. "Sorry. You shouldn't have put your hand where my foot was going to be."

The ex-guards were looking nervous now. Seemed like they'd realized they weren't going to escape.

At the back of the crowd, a hand went up. A big female Hyperborean still wearing her guard helmet pushed to the front, face grim.

"I saw it," she said. "They tried to run into the woods. As soon as things looked bad, they only wanted to save themselves."

"Did they." Hector turned back to the ex-guards, still smiling, and clapped. "Well, isn't that interesting. Looks like it's decided."

"What is, sir?" one said tentatively.

"I'm going to give you a choice," Hector said. "You're guilty, I think that's clear. We can't trust you anymore. So you have two options— one, transition. If you become swans and move on, we'll leave things there."

"What's the other option?"

"You won't like that one," Hector said simply. "Come on. Choose."

The ex-guards gulped. Then, one by one, they began to change. Alex went last, smashed nose healing as it became a bill. The transformation wasn't as flashy as with Pagomenos, but it still felt strange watching it happen, like staring at someone in the shower.

When they were done Hector said, "Perfect. Now do what you wanted to, and get out of here."

The birds took flight. One by one, the crowd dispersed until it was just me and Hector stood at the party's edge.

As soon as we were alone, Hector sagged. "That was exhausting."

"You handled it well."

"Did I? I just wanted to keep things from getting any bigger. I can't believe Pagomenos was willing to kill to keep this. So far, leading has only been a pain."

"A sign you're cut out for it." From the partiers, Prometheus appeared. "Good leaders realize how much power they have, and that's always an intimidating thing. You look wonderful, by the way. I knew you could pull off a tux."

"Thanks," Hector said. "Did you need something?"

That might've seemed rude, but it was a little hard to trust Prometheus at the moment. He might've been forgiven on paper, but he'd still used us like chess pieces. Looking at him, you suddenly couldn't help but wonder how many moves ahead he was thinking, plotting which square he'd sacrifice you on.

"I did in fact." Prometheus couldn't have missed the suspicion, but he didn't react. "Percy. Would you mind doing something for me?"

"What is it?"

"We'll need to call back to notify Mt. Orthrys of our success. Would you mind doing it?"

"Why not you?"

"Ahhh." Prometheus smiled bashfully. "Well, the one we'll be reporting to is Luke Castellan, and he and I… don't get along so well, let's say."

I'd only seen the two of them in the same room once, but the news caught me off guard. "You don't?"

"There are a lot of things we don't see eye to eye on," Prometheus said. "And besides, I think he'd be more appreciative hearing from his old friend. Give him the report. Things will be fine."

I didn't really have a good excuse to say no. And besides, talking to Luke sounded pretty nice. I had more than a few things worth telling him, on and off the record.

"Alright. I'll do it."

"Wonderful!" Two items appeared in Prometheus' hands— a spray bottle and a Drachma. "You may want to step somewhere a bit quieter."

I glanced at the blaring speakers. "Good idea." Taking the coin and spray bottle, I turned to Hector. "I'll catch you later."

"Sure," he said. "And when you give that report, stress something for me. You have the Hyperboreans' full support. For as long as I'm in charge."

I smiled, because how could I not? It was an awesome gesture, especially from the guy that had been so bitter when we met. He clapped my shoulder, and I took off, working my way around the party's perimeter, wondering if I was suppposed to call Luke "sir" or not once the call started.

I picked my way through deserted streets, completely alone. It was strange seeing the city empty, everybody congregated at one place. Sort of peaceful. I found my feet carrying me further and further, just enjoying the atmosphere, until before I realized it I'd crossed the whole city, standing at the bridge near where the battle was fought.

So I thought, screw it, and took a detour. In five minutes I was at the top of the hill I fought Pagomenos on. The earth was a little churned up, and flecks of frost were still scattered over the grass, but that was it. There weren't any other signs to give away what had happened there.

The rest of the battlefield was mostly the same. Even the dropped guns had been carted off. Standing there alone, it seemed insane to imagine what things had looked like hours earlier. I wondered if Luke would even believe me when I told him.

"One way to find out," I said, and fished in my pocket for the drachma.

They must've been waiting for me. That's the only way they could've timed it so perfectly. Exactly when I reached in my pocket, bony hands erupted from the ground, gripping my ankles in place.

I tried to run, and that probably saved my life, even if it totally failed. Instead of darting away my locked ankles made me eat dirt. A second later a Stygian iron sword stabbed where I'd stood.

Now, when you're flat on the ground with your legs stuck and an enemy above you, most people would panic. But I, experienced demigod that I was… did exactly that. Luckily, demigod status comes with nifty perks like superstrength. Thrashing my legs, the skeletal hands holding them popped off at the wrists, and I rolled down the hill head over feet.

I only knew one person that fought with a Stygian iron sword. Sure enough, when I staggered to my feet, Nico Di Angelo was glaring down at me.

I groaned, cracking my stiff back. "You couldn't have waited, like, ten minutes? I was about to make a call."

He didn't answer, not even to scream at me. That seemed strange. When we fought on the Starlight Express he'd been nothing but taunting and insults.

Eight skeletons rose from the ground behind him. Two were missing their hands, which were still wrapped around my ankles like fashion a statement from hell. Literally. The calcium welcome brigade rushed me like an attack squad.

Anfisa formed and immediately bisected one. I knocked another's skull off with my hilt. Seeing a quarter of his forces down in seconds, Nico rushed me himself, howling.

Our swords struck a few times, going back and forth.

"You've gotten better," I noticed.

He went for the same feint I used to beat him the first time we fought, his execution almost perfect. I batted it away.

"Look," I said, "you aren't going to beat me. So can we just talk about this?"

He swung harder. Faster. But it also seemed desperate, or scared. Even if blocking stung my palms more, he was getting sloppy.

"Don't fight with your emotions. Anger can help, but if you use only that you'll slow yourself down."

"Just shut up!" he roared. "Stop! Stop talking! Stop acting like this isn't a big deal! I'll take you down right now and show him. I won't waste my last chance!"

"This isn't your last chance," I said. "Nico, Minos is using you. Everything he's told you is a lie. The only thing he cares about is his own revenge, and you're nothing more than a tool for it."

"I can't trust you!"

"Then trust your sister." I didn't lower my sword — I wasn't that dumb — but I reached out my other hand. "Come with me. Talk to her. At least give us a chance to explain."

He hesitated. For a moment he was frozen, his mouth open like a deer in the headlights. He looked so young. No wonder a thousand-year-old ghost could manipulate him, the kid was barely into middle school.

I really thought I'd gotten through to him, too. Then his eyes hardened.

"Get him!" he screamed.

The skeletons that had been hanging back charged. I nearly growled. So close!

"I'm not lying to you." I cut a skeleton's leg off and kicked it into its friend, toppling them both. "Bianca's not under my control at all. I'm trying to help you, I swear it on the River Styx."

"So what?" Nico stabbed at me, and I pulled one of his skeletons into the way. The bones unknit around the black blade. "Minos warned me about those oaths. You can break them anytime."

"Do you just believe everything he says? The guy's a chronic liar!"

"Or you are!"

I was forced to duck a clothesline from a forearm bone. Another skeleton tried to karate kick my lowered head. I leaned out of the way, then sliced both of them with one wide swing.

"Please," I said. "Just listen to me."

"If I wanna hear your voice, I'll summon your spirit later," Nico growled. "Take him down!"

All the skeletons came at me, Nico in the middle of them. Two were the ones missing their hands, and another had lost half its leg in the fighting. They hurled themselves at me, trying to hold me down for their master to poke holes into.

I was tired. After the battle earlier I wanted to sleep for a month, not get into another fight. But that didn't mean I was going down easy.

I punched one, leaving hairline fractures in its skull. The ones without hands tried to tackle me at the waist, only to dive straight into my blade. I parried a few hits from Nico, then ducked behind the one-legged skeleton, using it as a shield. Nico cut straight through it. Lunging in, I stabbed past him, using the fractures from my punch to burst the final skeleton's head like a ceramic balloon. In another swing I struck Nico's sword hard enough to knock it clear from his hands, and he sat down hard.

"Alright Nico." Maybe I should've said it nicer, but polite and reasonable hadn't been working, and I really was tired. "I played your game. Now let's go see your sister."

He scrambled back, flat on his butt. Panic flooded his eyes. His fingers dug into the ground and cried, "Aid me!"

My eyes widened. The early-evening shadows started shaking, pulled toward him. His eyes were flickering black the way Bianca's had when she traumatized Nera. Slowly, the ground started to shake.

"Careful!" I warned.

He was panicking. In a last resort not to lose he was putting everything he had into his powers, lashing out wildly.

"More!" he commanded. "Answer my call, dead that wish to live again!"

The earth started tearing, and I got a look into the fissures. All sorts of hands grasped at the air from inside, some spectral while others were bone or decomposing flesh. They squirmed and pushed, trying to force their way out at the expense of all the others. The fissures opened wider and wider, stretched by the swarm trying to escape out.

And then it stopped. Nico swayed. His eyes rolled up and he nearly passed out. The hands disappeared. Shadows darted back to their natural places, and I thought it was over.

Anywhere else it would've been. But that area had seen too much that day. Between my earthquake and Nico's Underworld portals, it gave out. Completely.

Hairline fissures spread from the sinkholes. They started growing, the ground around them falling in. Everything shook violently. Piece by piece, the earth gave out into a growing chasm.

"Nico!" I shouted. "We need to leave!"

But if he was conscious he was too exhausted to answer, let alone run. More ground fell away, fissures getting closer to where he lay.

"No!"

I sprinted to the son of Hades, hurling his arm over my shoulder. He was about as responsive as a coma patient, but I dragged us toward the city and stabler ground.

I wasn't quick enough. As fast as we could limp the sinkholes were faster. As a last ditch effort I transformed Anfisa to Anthea, plunging the spear into the dirt as the ground fell away beneath us.

For a moment we were suspended, our legs dangling, the tendons in my wrist burning with pure pain from holding up not just my own weight, but Nico's too.

Then the ground Anthea was buried in crumbled. The last thing I knew was a feeling of weightlessness, Nico and I swallowed by black, falling beside waves of loose, doomed soil as light faded overhead.

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