-Addie-

I was going to kill Percy. And Apollo. He should know better!

Thank the gods I had some nectar and bruise cream in my bag. Artemis had summoned me, and I could picture that conversation going super well.

Oh, on my neck Lady Artemis? I was just kissing your brother, or well, he was kissing me, no big deal.

Yeah, right.

I needed to calm down before I went to see her. If she even suspected anything, she could make me tell. The last thing I needed was any more drama. I glanced in the mirror, making sure the evidence had disappeared. I walked down the hall, meeting Annabeth to get the book. With everything that was about to happen, I didn't like the idea of the Sibylline book sitting unprotected on this boat. It would be better in Olympus, where it was very, very far away from here.

"When will you be back?" Annabeth asked.

"I'm not exactly sure, but I don't think it will be long," I assured her. She nodded her head and bit her lip. Annabeth was worried, and I didn't blame her. I reached out, pulling her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around me, squeezing me to her. Annabeth and I might look about the same age, but after everything we've been through, I felt just as protective over her as I did my brothers.

"Be safe," I whispered. "If you need me, Iris message me."

Annabeth nodded her head, and I ducked out of her bedroom. I clutched the book to my chest and began to think about Artemis. The world blurred together, and I found myself on a mountain side. I recognized the terrain. It was in Italy, not far from Rome. My heart ached seeing the familiar landscape. Your home country isn't something that you easily forget. I could see the tents of the Hunters from here, interwoven among the trees. I heard the crack of a twig behind me, and something stirred my hair. The tip of an arrow brushed my neck, pulling my hair behind my back

"You're funny, Thalia," I said grudgingly.

"Addie, you should know better than sneaking up on us, better be glad it was me."

"I wasn't sneaking," I retorted. "I just got here!"

"Sure," she said with a snicker. Thalia put the arrow back in her quiver and wrapped her arm around me. Together, we began walking towards the encampment.

"How are you doing?"

I shrugged my shoulders. Honestly, I was just trying to take it one day at a time. There were so many emotions running through me. I was still angry at being lied to, but part of me had forgiven some of the gods. I guess I was waiting to hear something from them. Apollo had apologized, and he had told me about Dionysus's apology. Di, as I lovingly referred to him in my head, was not very vocal about his feelings, something we understood about each other. We had a very non-verbal friendship, which usually involved wine and blowing things up. Di telling Apollo to tell me he was sorry was pretty much the equivalent of Zeus apologizing on his knees.

"That's not an answer, Ad."

I smiled. Thalia was the only one who ever called me that. She said my real name was a mouthful, and Addie made me sound way more girly than I was.

"I'm not sure. I haven't really had time to process all of it. I guess I'm still upset, but I made my choice. I'm just trying to live with it now."

"You are much older and wiser than me," she said playfully. "Like old lady, old."

"Ha, ha."

Thalia just grinned as we walked through the tents. Artemis always stayed in the biggest one, usually towards the back of the site. I was wondering what the goddess of the hunt would want with me. She had her Hunters, so she did not request me for tasks all too often. In fact, the time I met Thalia was the first in many years, since the 1940s, if I remembered right. I always liked Artemis. She was kind of hard on me, but I didn't always think it was a bad thing. She was critical, but it was always something that would help me in the long run, even if I didn't like hearing it.

"Do you know what she wants?"

"No, I have no idea, but it's not just Artemis. Athena got here about an hour ago," she added. Thalia looked over at me, trying to gauge my reaction.

"Don't give me that look. I have no idea what's going on."

"Well then, come find me and tell me when you do," she pushed.

"You are so nosy," I whined.

"And you close yourself off from the world."

I gave her a pointed look, and Thalia just blew me off. She was right, but I would never tell her that. We had made it to the tent, and Thalia gave my hand a quick squeeze of comfort. I offered her a small smile, and then stepped into the tent alone.

Artemis always kept her space true to whatever environment she was in. It was summer, so the back of the tent was opened to a gorgeous view of the mountainside to allow a breeze. Everything was in warm, earthy tones: shades of green, yellow, dark reds and purples, and deep brown. It was like she brought the outdoors in. It was beautiful, and it made me feel at home. Artemis and Athena were both sitting in chairs, talking quietly to each other. I knew better than to interrupt a goddess. I quickly remembered that they had also been there on my drunken tirade. I had already decided that I was going to act like that night had never happened. I wasn't about to bring it up again.

"Euadne," Artemis called. "Come sit."

I did, in a very comfortable chair across from the goddesses. The wood frame looked like it had grown out of the ground itself. I set the book in my lap, looking down at the rough leather binding.

"Addie, there's no need to be nervous," Athena said warmly. I nodded my head, sneaking a peek at the goddess of wisdom. She was smiling, but it was a small one. She had something on her mind, what it was, I couldn't be sure. "We brought you here to talk to you."

"Oh."

It was all I could get out. I hoped they didn't ask anything too personal.

"The gods had a meeting yesterday, after you and the demigods retrieved the key. For the time being, we have decided to overlook your, ah, deviations, from your orders in exchange for your help in stopping Gaia and her followers from getting the key. Your situation will be reexamined after this war is over."

"Reexamined, my Lady?"

"Yes, because half of us wanted to free you, while the others were split on keeping you as you were or punishing you," Artemis explained. Free me? They were talking about lifting the curse? "Needless to say, we couldn't get a unanimous decision, so Father chose to postpone it."

Wow…freedom? It was a sweet thought, but the council would never let it happen. No one knew Apollo had given me freedom, and that was a fact that needed to stay hidden. There was a good chance that he would get into enormous trouble because it had been forbidden by Zeus. We had decided not to tell anyone about that or us, at least until this mess was sorted out. It really wouldn't matter if Gaia won and the world ended….Or if I died, which would kind of suck now.

"We voted to free you, Addie." Artemis's tone was quiet and thoughtful, and my stomach tightened. I looked up at them. Part of me couldn't believe it. It was something that I never would have expected. Athena was one of the first of them to show me any form of kindness, and while Artemis had always been tough, I felt we shared an understanding. "Did you know at one point I considered offering you a chance to become a Hunter?"

I shook my head. I got attention from some of the gods before I was cursed, but I had never spoken to Artemis.

"I was going to make the offer. But at that time, you had already married Tiberius, so it was out of my hands. You can't exactly be married and a maiden."

"No, you can't," I whispered. My emotions were starting to get the best of me, thinking of the past. It was such a blur, such a long time ago, it was hard to remember.

"I don't think you would have accepted though, do you?"

"I cannot say. It was a long time ago, and I am not the same girl now as I was then. I don't think so, though. I could never have hurt Tiberius like that," I said meekly.

"You always had a kind heart," Athena noted.

"Thank you, my Lady."

"Addie," she said, sighing loudly. "We don't often do what I am about to do. You've been around us a long time, and you know how habits and tendencies. We are apt to think we can do no wrong, that we are invincible, but that it not true. We are prideful and stuck in our ways. If we are to be better, we need to start acting like it."

"Addie, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the part I played in what was done to you. It was wrong, and I misjudged your character. For years, I have tried to ease the burden you bear, but that doesn't excuse my actions. We should have told you a long time ago. I can't change what I've done, but I will make it better." Athena reached for my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You have paid more than you should ever have to. If there is anything you need, do not hesitate to ask for it."

This was the third god to apologize to me in three days. I was on a flipping roll.

"And me," Artemis added with a sigh. "We should have listened. I'm sorry as well."

Make that four.

I didn't quite know what to say. I was beyond surprised, but grateful. They took time out of their day to pull me aside and give me an apology up front. That was pretty much like winning the lottery on godly favors.

"Thank you," I whispered. "I don't know-"

"You don't have to say anything," Athena assured me. She stood, straightening her shirt. "I have to get back, Zeus wants me by his side from now on," she muttered as she rolled her eyes. She disappeared, vanishing from right in front of me. I got up, thinking it was time for me to leave. Artemis gave me a knowing look, pointing back to me and then the chair. She looked around sixteen or seventeen today. Her auburn hair was braided to one side, her bright eyes assessing me.

"Oh, no. I want to talk to you alone. Sit."

I sat back down, apprehension running through me. She looked at me, like she was appraising me for something. Oh gods, what if he told her. She would hate me, and that would be a disaster.

"I have a question for you."

"Y-yes, my Lady?"

"What did Gaia show you?"

I had to tell her the truth, I didn't have a choice. I recounted the visions, adding in my visit to the fates. Gaia may have shown me that vision, but it wasn't exactly real or possible.

"Is that what you desire, a family? Children?"

"Um, I've never really thought about it. Hera told me I would never be able to have children. It was something I never imagined for myself, as it's never been a possibility for me."

"That must have relieved you for many years," she whispered solemnly. I nodded my head. My outburst must have given the gods some idea of what Ares had done to me, and there was no telling what I said when I was drunk. It was a relief that I would never bring a child into this world, especially with him. I couldn't have a kid with the kind of work I do. The very thought freaked me out.

"What's that?" she said, gesturing to the book.

"The Sibylline Books, we retrieved them out of Lord Apollo's temple in Dephi. I figured that it would be best kept in the hands of a god, so I was going to give it to you to give to your brother when you saw him."

"You don't want to give it to him yourself?" she suggested sweetly. She rose from her seat coming towards me.

"I don't know when I will see him again, and I assumed you would be in a- um-ah"

I stopped as Artemis put her hands on either side of me, resting them on the arms on the chair. Instinctively, I leaned back, away from her further narrowing eyes. Her face was just inches from mine. I could see the tiny flecks of silver in her grey eyes, and the strawberry-blonde strands in her auburn hair. My back was flush with the chair, and I knew I was pale as a sheet. I fought to keep my face perfectly blank. She just stared into my eyes, like she could see into my mind. She probably could.

"I know."

"Kn-know what, my Lady?"

"About you and my brother," she responded smugly.

No, this couldn't be happening. I swallowed, meeting her gaze. I was going to play dumb. She raised her eye brows, a small smile creeping on her face.

"How do you feel about him?" she asked me. The command in her tone hit. Oh, I didn't want to answer, and I had to. The pain in my head started to build, and I fought it. She smiled in triumph, and I really just wanted to melt into the chair and disappear.

"I-um-I- I really-l-lo-"

"You don't have to answer that, the blush is enough," she replied with a smile. She plopped down in the chair beside me, looking excited.

"So, how long have you and my brother been friends?" she asked with a wiggle of her eyebrows. I couldn't think; I couldn't breathe. I just kind of looked at Artemis, dumbstruck. The goddess of the hunt wanted to girl talk about me and her brother…

"ARTEMIS!"

We both looked towards the opening of the tent. Apollo stood there, glaring at his sister. She pulled back from me, an innocent expression on her face. I just looked down at my feet, wishing that all of this could just get over with already. I felt a touch on my shoulder, and my body responded. Apollo stood beside me, his arm resting along my shoulder.

"What?" she jested.

"Quit harassing her, Artemis," he commanded.

"I'm just trying to get to know her better! I haven't been harassing you, have I, Addie?"

Both of them turned to look at me, and I jumped a little in my seat.

"No, you haven't-" I started.

"See! I like Addie, I'm not going to harass her," she admonished her brother. He just sighed and sat on the arm of my chair. She stood and walked over to the entrance of the tent. "You are welcome, by the way."

"Thank you. Bye," he hinted. Artemis groaned dramatically, tossing her hands up in the air.

"Nothing in my tent, you two!"

My jaw dropped and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Apollo move. He came to kneel in front of me, his fingers lifting my chin to close my mouth.

"Sorry, my sister was supposed to tell me when they had finished speaking to you."

"She was?"

"Yes. She's wanted to talk to you ever since she found out, and I've been trying to tell her to take it easy. She likes you a lot," he added as he tucked a curl behind my ear. His hand lingered at my cheek, and I could feel the heat emanating from him.

"She does?"

He leaned forward, his lips just brushing mine. My body melted at the feeling, and I closed my eyes. He pulled back, his eyes sparkling in the afternoon light.

"Euadne?" a high voice requested. I looked to my right, and Iris was shimmering before me. Apollo leaned further away, a small smile on his face.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but you have an urgent message. I wasn't sure if I should let it through," she apologized, glancing at Apollo.

"Who is it?"

"It's Orion, he wants to speak with you," she confessed.

A/N: Little bit of a cliff hanger? I know its kind of a filler, but we are getting into the home stretch, and there will be a lot more action in the upcoming chapters. Kind of a calm before the storm.

Check out the one shots if you haven't yet! (and if you want to!) ;)

Please Review! :D You guys rock!