Nobody said anything for a few minutes, after that. They all just stared up at the sky, where Zoë's constellation was blinking down at them. Mari hoped that wherever she was, however much of this she was experiencing, she was happy. She deserved that much, at least.
Silvery light flickered around Artemis, like she was barely keeping it together enough to avoid becoming her fully divine form. Mari knew that behind the grief, all of them were thinking the same: no mortal, not even a demigod, could look at a god in their fully divine form without disintegrating. So, if Artemis lost control, then they were all fucked.
"I must go to Olympus immediately," Artemis said. "I will not be able to take you, but I will send help." She laid her hands on Annabeth's shoulders. "You are brave beyond measure, my girl. You will do what is right."
Then, she turned towards Mari, giving her a full, genuine smile, dimmed as it was by grief. "You, my niece, have a kind of strength not often seen. You do yourself proud. Do not falter." Mari wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but she'd absolutely take it. This was her aunt. Like, her actual aunt. And her aunt was proud of her... Mari gave her a watery smile back.
Artemis exchanged a glance with Thalia, which Mari didn't quite get, but the goddess looked soft as she turned her head away from the girl.
Then she looked at Percy.
"You did well," she told him. "For a man."
Artemis mounted her chariot, and they all turned away. There was a bright silver glow, and when they looked back, she was gone. It hit Mari that if Artemis was being serious about sending them help, then they'd be going to Olympus. Like, actual Olympus. Where her father lived.
And sure enough, barely a minute later, there was a fluttery sound, like wings.
"Blackjack!" Percy called.
Sure enough, four pegasi, three white and one black, dove through the fog, slowing to trots as they landed. Percy approached the black one, whom Mari assumed was Blackjack.
"It was rough," he told the pegasus. "Nah. These are my friends. We need to get to Olympus pretty fast." Mari wondered if he realised how awkward it was to listen in on these one-sided conversations.
"Uh," Mari asked Percy as she climbed onto another pegasus. "Does this one have a name?"
Percy asked Blackjack, who gave him an indignant neigh, and glared at her with his horse-y face. "Yeah, she's called Chevy."
Percy and Thalia clambered onto the other pegasi, leaving one to Annabeth, who was saying something to her Dad.
"Annabeth," he told her. "I know... I know San Francisco is a dangerous place for you. But please remember you always have a home with us. We will keep you safe."
Mari looked away.
Finally, Annabeth mounted the remaining pegasus, and they soared over the bay, leaving the shining lights of San Francisco behind. Wait a minute. San Francisco? Didn't Adela say she used to live there? That her father was there?
Thalia fell asleep in mid-air halfway through the journey. "Is she going to be alright?" Mari yelled over the wind.
Percy nodded. "Porkpie won't let her fall."
She supposed that 'Porkpie' was Thalia's horse. That checked out. "Hey," Mari called again. "I know that this is probably a bad time, high up in the air and everything, but I still only understand a little about what's going on here. I would really appreciate it if you guys filled me in. Preferably, like, before we go stand in front of the gods while they judge our life decisions."
Percy managed to fill her in over the roaring winds, Annabeth listening along too. So, the entire point of the quest had been to save Artemis? At least they'd succeeded in that regard, she supposed. Zoë's life seemed like a high price to pay. Mari didn't feel bad about thinking that, because she was sure Artemis would agree. And apparently another girl had died, too. Crushed to death in an ancient malfunctioning automaton. Mari shuddered. She hoped that Bianca Di Angelo had found peace in the underworld, seeing as she hadn't exactly received the 'star treatment' the way Zoë had.
Percy and Annabeth talked for a while, too. Mari flew a little further behind next to Thalia, both to give them privacy and because she didn't actually trust Porkpie not to let Thalia fall to her death.
By the time they reached Manhattan, it was early morning. The journey felt both too quick and not nearly fast enough. Thalia woke up as Olympus came into view, and pointed from her horse. "There is is. It's started."
"What's started?" Percy asked.
Even from a distance, Olympus looked breath-taking. Floating from a cloud, the peak of a mountain shone. Littered about it were huge marble palaces, with glowing bronze braziers and garden balconies, lush with greenery. Stone pathways wound around the structures, busy with tiny figures rushing about. There was an agora, an open-air market, where Mari could hear happy chatter and laughter in the distance. There was even an amphitheatre perched on a jutting cliff-face, so that all performances would be backdropped by a stunning aerial view of New York city. Looking at it was like stepping back in time, to when the gods still lived in Greece and were worshipped by the masses. It was so beautiful that it shouldn't have been real, and the fact that it was almost made Mari cry.
"The winter solstice," Thalia breathed. "The council of the gods."
There, at the very peak, was the biggest palace of all. Mari gulped. That could only be the centre of it all - the hall of the gods. Lightening slashed around it, which made Mari shiver.
They orbited Olympus as they flew nearer, and Mari found that it looked even better up close. The braziers clearly weren't normal fire. Every time Mari blinked the colour changed, making Olympus look like it was bathed in a rainbow. Apparently they hadn't gotten the memo about the whole winter thing, because even from a distance Mari could feel a warm breeze wrap around her shoulders.
The pegasi landed outside the building, Chevy skittering from exhaustion. Mari slid off and petted the pegasus's mane. "Thanks," she told it, even though it couldn't understand her. Percy went to knock at the humongous silver gates, but they opened all on their own.
The pegasi flew away, leaving herself, Annabeth, Thalia and Percy to fend for themselves. Well, Thalia and Percy. She and Annabeth would probably be fine. The thought didn't bring her much comfort. They stood there for a minute, just contemplating. Then, they walked into the throne room, Mari's heart speeding up as she went. She couldn't help but feel that Jaws music would be appropriate.
The inside was more beautiful than the outside. That shouldn't have been possible and if there was a single location prettier than this it would probably make Mari's brain explode, which would be a real shame. Cleaning brain bits off the marble floor did not sound fun.
"Welcome, heroes," Artemis said.
A small gloopy sphere of water floated in the centre of the room, with a half-cow-half-snake...thing in the centre of it, which must have been the Ophiotaurus. Mari supposed most people would find it cute in a way, but it was far too snake-y in her opinion. There was a burning central brazier, surrounded by twelve thrones, each decorated to reflect its respective god. Every throne was occupied, and the gods were huge. Four metres tall, at least. It made Mari feel like a wriggling worm, one wrong move away from being stepped on by the heavy sole of a giant sandal. Mari didn't look at anything beyond the thrones circling the room. She was scanning for a very specific seat.
Grey rock... no. Rusty silver and bronze gears... no.
Solid gold.
Just like cabin seven.
Mari looked up, gulping.
Her Dad grinned at her and waved.
He wasn't at all what she'd expected. She'd thought he'd look like he'd just stepped out of a temple in Ancient times, clothes to match, but he looked more like a teen celebrity. He was wearing a golden button-down shirt and jeans, with sunglasses covering his eyes. He even had shiny golden headphones, although one was pushed back behind his ear. What she did expect was the warm golden glow around him, like the inverse of Artemis, and the way his smile actually reminded her of the sun, somehow.
He had her chin. Mari shyly smiled back at him.
"Percy!" a voice bleated, from the head of the room. "You made it!"
Mari was really glad that Percy had given her a summary of what exactly was going on, otherwise the presence of one Grover Underwood would have had her completely confused. Grover glanced at Zeus, the terrifying king of the gods, like he was asking permission to speak.
"Go on," the sky god said.
Grover ran over and Mari stopped paying attention again, staring at Apollo instead.
He was furrowing his eyes as he watched her, as if deep in thought about something. Mari's stomach squirmed. Was she not supposed to look away? Had she disappointed him, somehow? If he sensed her unease, he didn't react to it.
"Heroes," said Artemis, standing from her throne and shrinking down to normal-size. She walked towards them, surrounded by a tunnel of silvery moonlight. "The council has been informed of your deeds. They know that Mount Othrys is forming in the West. They know of Atlas's attempt for freedom, and the gathering armies of Kronos. We have voted to act."
Mari was confused for a second. Didn't a quest to try and find Ariadne's string before Luke got his grubby little hands on it count as acting (not that Luke was a problem anymore)? Now that Mari thought about it, the quest had been suggested by Ariadne and Dionysus. Chiron had supported it, but nobody had ever mentioned Zeus having a say in anything. Mari wondered just how much went on under Zeus's nose that he was in the dark about. Why did he think she was here?
Artemis glared at a few of the gods, who shuffled uncomfortably as if they weren't too happy about this decision, before she continued. "At my Lord Zeus's command, my brother Apollo and I shall locate the most powerful monsters, seeking to strike them down before they can join the Titans' cause."
Apollo nodded, giving finger guns to the room and winking at Artemis, whose fingers twitched towards the quiver of arrows over her shoulder in response. Apollo pouted.
"Lady Athena shall personally check on the other Titans to make sure they do not escape their various prisons," Artemis continued. "Lord Poseidon has been given permission to unleash his full fury on the cruise ship Princess Andromeda and send it to the bottom of the sea. And as for you, my heroes..."
She turned to address the gods personally. "These half-bloods have done Olympus a great service. Would any here deny that?"
Mari knew the question wasn't posed at her, and if she tried to answer as if it was she'd probably end up dead, but she couldn't help but feel that she should deny it. Annabeth, Thalia, Percy and Grover had done Olympus a great service, sure. But what had she done? Got kidnapped by her older brother, lost Ariadne's string, cried about it and then failed to stop Zoë the huntress from dying even though she knew she was injured? But because the gods were absolutely terrifying and she had a modicum of common sense, she kept her mouth shut.
"I gotta say," her father spoke up. "These kids did okay. Heroes win laurels-"
"Um, yes, first class." A god Mari could only assume was Hermes from the winged sandals on his feet interrupted, "All in favour of not disintegrating them?"
It sounded like he didn't want to hear her Dad's poem, but that made no sense. Her dad was the god of poetry. His poems were bound to be awesome, right? Hermes must just have really bad taste. Add that to the ever-growing list of things that Mari was not going to say out loud. Mari looked at her Dad. He seemed a little miffed about the interruption part, but his hand shot up in response to the question and he sent Mari a soft smile. Mari felt a little better, after that. It was like he was telling he that she was, in fact, included in the whole 'these kids' part. Even if she didn't agree, it was nice to feel like he might just believe in her.
"Wait just a minute." An angry-looking god pointed an accusing finger at Thalia and Percy. "These two are dangerous. It'd be much safer, while we've got them here-"
"Ares!" Poseidon snapped (he had to be Poseidon, nobody else would wear a fisherman shirt that ugly). "They are worthy heroes. We will not blast my son to bits."
"Nor my daughter." Zeus didn't sound too enthusiastic about his words as he stared at Thalia. "She has done well."
"Ah, yes!" Apollo agreed. "I think mine is awesome. You know, this is the perfect opportunity for a Haiku. Let's see..."
Mari was pretty sure her face went beetroot red at the praise. Her Dad was proud of her? Nothing like that had ever happened to her before. It was nice. Really nice. Apollo grinned at her, and began.
"Behold, my daughter.
She is an amazing girl.
She learnt that from me."
Uh... it wasn't that she didn't appreciate the praise. She did. But Apollo did know that she'd never met him before, right? How was she supposed to learn anything from somebody she'd never even met?
The gods groaned, and Artemis facepalmed, shaking her head at her brother. Apollo didn't seem to notice.
A grey-eyed goddess, who must have been Athena, smoothly carried on speaking. "I am proud of my daughter as well. And my descendant is acceptable, I suppose, but there is a security risk here, with the other two."
"Mother!" Annabeth protested. "How can you-"
Athena cut Annabeth off with a look. "It is unfortunate that my father, Zeus, and my uncle, Poseidon, chose to break their Oath not to have more children. Only Hades kept his word, a fact that I find ironic. As we know from the Great Prophecy, children of the three elder gods... such as Thalia and Percy... are dangerous. As thickheaded as he is, Ares has a point."
Mari felt a twist in her gut. Not just because Athena was probably very capable of convincing the other Olympians of her 'logic', and if she did, then Mari would be losing two good friends. There was something else, and it had happened specifically when Athena mentioned that Hades hadn't broken the Oath. It took her a second to realise what exactly that something was.
Her instincts.
She hadn't felt anything from them in the labyrinth, and she wasn't sure why. But apparently they were back now. And they were telling her that something was off. Mari stared at Hades, who sat despondent, glaring at Athena from a tiny chair he'd pulled up next to Hermes.
Broken the Oath.
Had he...?
She looked away almost instantly.
If he did, then did he even know?
She could say something. There was technically nothing stopping her, and nobody would really blame her if she did. She wasn't entirely sure what the great prophecy was, but nobody knew that. What people did know was that it had something to do with the big three kids. If there was another child of the big three running around, who could have a part to play, then she probably should speak up. In fact, she'd be absolutely screwed if anybody found out she had this kind of hunch and chose not to speak up.
Also, Hades definitely deserved the humiliation. After what he'd done to Adela, he deserved a lot more than humiliation.
Mari stopped that train of thought in its tracks. Then she locked it in a box, set that box on fire and stomped on it a bit for good measure. Hades did deserve that, but it didn't matter because it wasn't just about what Hades deserved. Whoever his kid was, they were innocent. They might just be a baby, or, by some miracle they might be a resident in an old people's home. It didn't matter. If they somehow managed to live a life free from all this, then good for them. Mari was not about to be the catalyst who caused that to change.
Besides, it was just a hunch. She might be wrong. Gods, she hoped she was wrong.
Mari tuned back in when Artemis spoke again.
"I will not have them punished," the goddess said. "I will have them rewarded. If we destroy heroes who do us a great favour, then we are no better than the Titans. If this is Olympian justice, then I will have none of it."
Holy fuck, her aunt was cool.
"Calm down, sis. You need to lighten up." Apollo laughed. Mari's heart sank. Why would he say that? He... he knew that she was one of those heroes too, right? So why would he say that?! Maybe she was thinking into it too deeply. He could have just been joking around.
"Do not call me sis!" Artemis snapped. "I will reward them."
"Well," Zeus grumbled. "Perhaps. But the monster at least must be destroyed. We have agreement on that?"
Most of the Olympians nodded.
"Bessie?" Percy looked absolutely horrified at the idea. "You want to destroy Bessie?"
"You have named the Ophiotaurus Bessie?" Poseidon frowned at his son.
Mari held back a snicker. Of course he did.
"Dad," Percy begged. "He's just a sea creature. A really nice sea creature. You can't destroy him."
"Percy," Poseidon replied, looking uncomfortable. "The monster's power is considerable. If the Titans were to steal it, or-"
"You can't!" Percy interrupted. He looked at Zeus, his eyes full of determination. "Controlling the prophecies never works. Isn't that true? Besides, Bess- the Ophiotaurus is innocent. Killing something like that is wrong. It's just as wrong as... as Kronos eating his children, just because of something they might do. It's wrong!"
Mari sucked in a breath. Percy was either being really smart or really stupid. Potentially both. No, wait, definitely both.
"And what of the risk?" Zeus eyed Thalia again. "Kronos knows full well that if one of you were to sacrifice the beast's entrails, you would have the power to destroy us. Do you think we can let that possibility remain? You, my daughter, will turn sixteen on the morrow, just as the prophecy says."
So it was related to turning sixteen. Okay, Mari would keep that in mind.
"You have to trust them." Annabeth seemed to be remembering exactly whom she was talking to, because she turned towards Zeus and tried again. "Sir, you have to trust them."
"Trust a hero?" Zeus didn't look particularly fond of the idea.
"Annabeth is right." Artemis spoke up. "Which is why I must first make a reward. My faithful companion, Zoë Nightshade, has passed into the stars. I must have a new lieutenant. And I intend to choose one. But first, father Zeus, I must speak with you privately."
So Thalia was going to be Artemis's new lieutenant - that much was obvious.
Mari supposed it made a lot of sense. Thalia apparently turned sixteen tomorrow, but huntresses didn't age. If she took the oath, then they'd have at least two years to plan until Percy turned sixteen. If he survived that long.
"Annabeth." Percy turned towards the daughter of Athena, raw panic in his eyes. "Don't."
"What?" She asked him, for once in her life sounding entirely confused.
"Look, I need to tell you something." Percy sounded urgent. "I couldn't stand it if... I don't want you to-"
"Percy?" Annabeth asked again. "You look like you're going to be sick."
"Yeah, do not faint in front of the gods," Mari added. "It would be really awkward to wait for you to wake up again."
"I shall have a new lieutenant," Artemis said as she returned, with Zeus following behind her. "If she will accept it."
"No..." Percy murmured. Mari kind of wanted to stomp on his foot. Was he deliberately trying to get himself killed?
"Thalia," Artemis said. "Daughter of Zeus. Will you join the hunt?"
Annabeth gave Thalia an encouraging smile and a nod, and let her hand go. Thalia briefly glanced at Mari, who grinned and gave a thumbs up. Percy watched it all with his mouth hanging open.
"I will," Thalia said.
Zeus rose, and was Mari seeing things, or did he actually look concerned about Thalia? Huh. Colour her surprised. "My daughter," he began. "Consider well-"
"Father," Thalia interrupted. "I will not turn sixteen tomorrow. I will never turn sixteen. I won't let this prophecy be mine. I stand with my sister Artemis. Kronos will never tempt me again."
Thalia knelt in front of Artemis, and began an Oath that Mari had never heard before. "I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis. I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the hunt."
A soft, silvery glow enveloped Thalia, just like the one that had followed Zoë around in the short time Mari had known her.
Naturally, the first thing Thalia did after becoming a hunter was entirely against the grain. She walked over to Percy and hugged him. Artemis didn't seem like she minded it much.
"Um..." Percy trailed off, glancing at Artemis like he was afraid she was going to turn him into a jackelope or something. "Aren't you supposed to not do that anymore? Hug boys, I mean?"
"I'm honouring a friend." Thalia smiled. "I must join the Hunt, Percy. I haven't known peace since... since Half-blood Hill. I finally feel like I have a home. But you're a hero. You will be the one of the prophecy."
"Great." Percy didn't sound very enthused. Mari couldn't really blame him, he didn't get an easy out like Thalia and being the subject of a prophecy sounded like a pile of stinking horseshit. Mari was definitely glad she wasn't involved in that kind of mess.
"I'm proud to be your friend," Thalia told him, before moving on to wrap her arms around Annabeth. They whispered something to each other, and Thalia nodded. Then she came up to Mari, and hugged her, too. Mari found that she really appreciated it, especially since she didn't know Thalia that well compared to the other two.
"I want to talk to you later, okay?"
Mari nodded, and Thalia hugged Grover who for some reason looked like he wanted to pass out with joy, and went to stand beside Artemis, who spoke to the hall again. "Now for the Ophiotaurus."
He was interrupted by a light mist appearing behind Mari, the beginning of an Iris message starting to form. A pleasant voice filtered through the room. "You are receiving a message. Please deposit one drachma."
"Interruptions!" Zeus waved his hand and the message disappeared before Mari could so much as squint at it. "Continue."
"This boy is still dangerous," Dionysus warned. Mari frowned. She'd have thought he at least would... wait, scrap that, no he wouldn't. "The beast is a temptation to great power. Even if we spare the boy."
"No. Please," Percy implored. "Keep the Ophiotaurus safe. My Dad can hide him under the sea somewhere, or keep him in an aquarium here on Olympus. But you have to protect him."
"And why should we trust you?" Hephaestus grumbled.
"I'm only fourteen. If this prophecy is about me, I've got two more years."
"Two years for Kronos to deceive you," Athena pointed out. "Much can change in two years, my young hero."
"Mother!" Annabeth sounded like she was on her last nerve. Mari would have said something too, but she really didn't think Athena would appreciate being called Grandma.
"It is only the truth, child," Athena told her. "It is bad strategy to keep the animal alive. Or the boy."
"No, it isn't!" Mari protested. "I, uh, I mean, no it isn't, Lady Athena. Percy has proven he's loyal to Olympus time and again. With him alive, at least you have a hero you know will be on your side. It's a prophecy, right? They're inevitable. Look, it's like Percy said, trying to outsmart them just makes them even deadlier. If you kill Percy now, who's to say that next time a child of the big three is born, they won't choose to betray you the same way Luke did?"
Mari didn't know where that came from. She'd been fine to be as quiet as possible, but apparently that hadn't worked out. For a second she thought Athena was going to destroy her for the challenge, but the goddess looked deep in thought. Mari glanced at Percy. He looked oddly touched. Apollo beamed from ear to ear.
Poseidon stood, summoning a three-metre bronze trident surrounded by a blue light, kind of like the pattern water made in a pool. "I will not have a sea-creature destroyed if I can help it. And I can help it. I will vouch for the boy, and the safety of the Ophiotaurus."
"You won't take it under the sea!" Zeus roared. "I won't have that kind of bargaining chip in your possession!"
Woah. Trust issues, much?
"Brother, please." Poseidon sighed.
Zeus summoned his lightening bolt in what Mari was sure he and exactly nobody else thought was an appropriate response, filling the room with the smell of Ozone.
"Fine." Poseidon gave in. "I will build an aquarium for the creature here. Hephaestus can help me. The creature will be safe - we shall protect it with all our powers. The boy will not betray us. I vouch for this on my honour."
Zeus finally agreed, turning to the other Olympians. "All in favour?"
Athena, Dionysus and Ares all refused to vote. So did Hades, but Mari honestly wasn't sure if he was allowed to and also she hated him, so he didn't count. Out of the rest of the Olympians, a lot of them voted yes. Artemis did. Poseidon did.
Her father did.
Mari smiled.
"We have a majority," Zeus announced. "And so, since we will not be destroying these heroes... I imagine we should honour them. Let the triumph celebration begin!"