Percy released Zoe as they appeared in a flash of light. Zoe looked around. They were in their cabin in Montauk. The old but cozy furniture filled the living room while pictures and other trinkets decorated the walls. Light streamed through the curtains of the windows and Zoe could hear the ocean crashing against the beach. Percy put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll be right back, okay?" he told her in more of question than anything.

Zoe nodded her head and turned with her eyes closed. Light illuminated her vision despite her closed eyes. Once darkness returned, Zoe opened her eyes to see her father gone. She quickly sat on the couch with a groan. The day's events had exhausted the poor girl beyond belief. As she sat, she thought about those events. She could control shadows. Her father's old girlfriend had joined the enemy. Oh and her mother was apparently a primordial goddess. Oh the joys of being Zoe Chase Jackson. She wondered if this meant she could shadow travel like Nico. That would be an experiment for another time. Then there was that darkness that creeped within her while fighting Pallas. What was that? She never considered herself to be an arrogant person. Confident sure, sometimes maybe too much, but she never thought she was better than anyone else. She wanted him defeated sure, but humiliated? Destroyed? She didn't know. She didn't think so. It just didn't feel like her.

Zoe shut her eyes as a flash of light consumed the room. The light receded revealing Percy and Reyna. Before Zoe could even stand, Reyna grabbed the girl by the arm and yanked her into her embrace. "Gods Zoe. I was so worried," Reyna nearly cried. She released the girl before looking her over. "You're okay right? No cuts or anything?"

"I'm fine Reyna, I promise," Zoe confirmed to her guardian. "How is everyone?"

"They'll live. Karina has a concussion and Liam has a couple fractured ribs. The Praetorians have their fair share of injuries. Some minor, some more serious," Reyna informed her. "We lost Eric and Diana. Fell when the second wave of monsters stormed them. We'll transport them to New Rome for proper rites and drop Liam and Karina off at Camp Half-Blood on the way." Her voice took a somber tone as the three shared a moment of silence.

Zoe glanced around her home away from home. "Are we safe here?"

Percy smirked at his daughter. "We've been preparing for this moment from the day I found you. No one without prior knowledge of this place should find it and even if they did, there are protections," he comforted the girl.

Zoe nodded, suddenly feeling anxious. "Dad, Reyna?" she felt as meek as her voice sounded. Her father and surrogate mother looked at her with apprehension. "What is going on. You promised me you would explain."

Percy and Reyna released a collective sigh. The two shared a glance before Percy nodded and walked past Zoe to the kitchen. Reyna took Zoe's hands and led her to the couch. "While your father has accepted his past, he would much rather not relive it," Reyna informed the girl as they sat down. "So while we talk, he will make dinner. Now, where to begin?" A small crash of pots and pans drew their attention briefly before dismissing the clumsy god.

"How about my mother being a primordial goddess?" Zoe said with a bit more bite than she meant.

Reyna eyed the girl sympathetically. "Yes I guess that's as good of a place as any," she took a breath. "Your father was directed to the Mansion of Night by the giant Damasen just after being gifted his drakon bone sword. While the Giant thought it a fool's errand, your father is, as you know, stubborn. He had a brief altercation with Ahklys, the Goddess of Misery, before being confronted by Nyx," Reyna paused as Percy entered the room carrying to cups of fresh tea. He set the cups down and gave the two girls a smile before departing back to the kitchen. "Nyx almost immediately took a...liking, to your father. He is undoubtedly attractive, but more for her he had a darkness within him that, according to your father, stirred deep emotions within her." She picked up her cup and took a sip.

Zoe followed suit. "What about Dad made her," she felt a little weird talking about her father this way, "feel. That sort of. Way?"

"As you've come to discover on your journey," Reyna reminded her. "Your father made a lot of choices that he was ashamed of. Choices that made those that viewed him as a friend, view him in a different light." Zoe tilted her head in confusion at that. "Your father became obsessed with finding Annabeth to the point of driving everyone else away. They wanted to help, but there was nothing they could do. He would fight with them, accuse them of not caring, that they weren't doing enough. They understood his feelings, but that didn't mean they accepted the way he behaved. As a result he spent a lot of time on his own, out hunting monsters and looking for Annabeth. Even when Jason freed Juno it didn't help. In fact it made it worse. Now he knew the source of his suffering and stormed Olympus. Intent on forcing the Queen into giving Annabeth back. It was only the intervention of Neptune and, ironically, Juno that stopped Jupiter from smiting him. So he left camp, feeling truly alone for the first time in his life. Anger and resentment was a slippery slope that he fell straight down into. Thalia did what she could, but the Battle of Fortuna was the turning point," she took a brief pause. Her eyes flickered towards the kitchen.

"Annabeth died and made Percy promise to save Olympus with her dying breath. A man that broken, with that much loss, was going to make mistakes. Like when Octavian mocked the daughter of Athena to the face of the Greeks when they arrived. Percy snapped his neck before he even realized he had risen, starting the split between the two aspects as we prepared for war." Zoe's eyes went wide at that description. What else had they decided to change? "Even on the Argo, Percy was problematic. Rarely interacting with the others except for essential meetings. Fighting with reckless abandon at every opportunity. Then finally there was Rome. Percy knew from dreams with Minerva that they needed the Parthenos. But without Annabeth they had no way of knowing where it was other than Rome. So Percy...tortured the twin Giants until they revealed the location of Arachne. Obviously I was not there to witness, but the descriptions of both Percy and the Seven were...sufficiently disturbing."

"So," Zoe reasoned. "Nyx was attracted to Dad because he was becoming a bad person?"

Reyna tilted her head in thought. "An oversimplification, but yes. Your fathers actions had created a darkness within him that Nyx couldn't resist. So she took him into her Mansion and made him her consort. Wether he wanted to or not." Zoe felt she would be sick. "Even Percy doesn't know how long he stayed there. Forced to entertain a primordial through death matches and, other ways. Eventually he escaped with the help of Pallas who had become his friend and made is way to the surface through the Doors of Death. He had no idea that by that time, you were conceived."

Zoe blinked a few times before speaking. "So I was the result of..." she didn't want to finish the thought.

Reyna flinched. "It's...complicated. But your father wasn't exactly in a place to say no, physically or mentally."

Again, Zoe felt as though she would be sick. She took another sip to steady her nerves. "But that was over a century ago. How am I here now at my age?"

Reyna shrugged. "Honestly, we have no idea. Nyx is the second most powerful being in all of creation. Chaos knows what she's capable of."

"So Dad didn't know I existed?" she asked, more rhetorical than anything else. "Then how did you both raise me?"

"Your father received, premonitions. Honestly Apollo was a little jealous because it's suppose to be him that gets them. Though Percy hasn't shown the ability to get them any other time, anyways. They lead him to an apartment complex in New York City. It wasn't the same building that his mother had lived in. That building had been torn down and replaced. But it was the same address and he was led to the same apartment. Inside the two bedroom apartment, both occupants, a man and women, had been mauled. Percy gave the two some semblance of burial rites when he was interrupted by crying. He entered the main bedroom to find a baby bundled up on the bed. That baby was you. Next to it was a note from Nyx that gave him the briefest explanation that you were his and it's not like anyone can try to deny it. Just look at you," she gestured at the young girl. "Anyways, he didn't know where else to go so he turned to me and asked me to raise you. We asked Vesta for advice and she put both our wardings in place. The rest is history."

Zoe looked at her quizzically. "I get why I was given the wards, but why you?" she asked her guardian.

"Come on, think about it Zo," Reyna scolded lightheartedly. "Everyone knew that Percy and I loved each other, even if we hadn't admitted it to each other yet. Suddenly he shows up with a kid that isn't mine? As much as everyone knew I love your father, they knew I would never allow such a betrayal in my life. So Vesta warded me to hide my true emotions. Choosing to raise you, to everyone else, just seemed like a truly selfless act that I was doing in spite of the betrayal. If they knew how I truly felt, it would leave many wondering what was really going on. Particularly Venus or Diana," Reyna explained to her.

"And what does all of this mean for me?" Zoe asked. "You're telling me that my mother is the Primordial Goddess of Night. What am I then? A demigod? A goddess? Do I have domains?" She fired off her questions rapid fire.

"Tri-blood," Reyna stated simply. "The child of a primordial goddess and a half-blood son of Neptune. As for what it means, we don't know. Our best guess is that you will be able to regulate your power when you get older but beyond that? We just don't know. Which was a function of your many wards. Even as an infant we could feel the power rolling off you. It needed to be contained lest you burn out. The wards contained your power. Preventing you from utilizing your heritage, but also giving you time for your body to develop. Even now I am sure you can feel the power building back up. We will have to find a way to consistently drain you of energy until you are able to handle it."

Zoe nodded as she did in fact feel the power within her growing again. It wasn't the flood of last time. More of a faucet turned halfway on. "Couldn't you just put new wards on me?"

"We could, but at this point it would be better to leave you as is. The more power you have at your disposal, the better you will be able to protect yourself from those like Annabeth and Pallas," Reyna answered. "As for domains, we have no way of knowing. Maybe Nyx does but we aren't really in a position to ask."

Zoe's eyes scrunched together in confusion. "But if I was...conceived before Dad became a god, how am I able to use his domains rather than the domains of Poseidon?"

"The simple answer would be he blessed you to be able to use his domains," Reyna sighed and rubbed her forehead. "The complicated one is that your father's blessing seemed to fill a 'hole' in your being, as Vesta put it, and connected you to his domains as if you were made from his godly blood. The fact that you are as powerful as you are is just because of your nature as a tri-blood, or so we think."

Zoe rubbed her own head as she thought these things over. She really had no idea what to think of this information. "Is that why Zeus tried to attack us?"

Reyna nodded. "Unfortunately. You're the first tri-blood to be born. That alone is a cause of concern for him. Then you have Percy as your father, who's already proven multiple times to be...difficult with authority. And finally your mother is not only a primordial, but one that seems to have joined another in a war against Olympus," she explained to her daughter. "It's why we didn't want your parentage to be revealed. The less people know the better." Reyna noticed Percy peeking around the corner of the kitchen. "We are done."

Percy nodded and entered the room. "Dinner will take about another 30 minutes. Zoe, you want to go get changed and clean up? I'm sure you're dying to get out of that armor."

Zoe looked down. She hadn't really thought about the armor since it was put on her. It fit her incredibly well. She didn't feel suffocated as in most other armors. It might have felt even better than her custom legion armor. Though even the most comfortable armor would become uncomfortable after prolonged use. She also wasn't a fan of the tunic. Where were they, Ancient Rome? "Yeah, I guess," she nodded and got up to head to her room. As she turned into the hallway, she turned back. "Dad?" she called to him. Her father looked at her with loving, if sad, eyes. She walked up to her father and hugged his much larger form. She felt his arms wrap around her. She felt truly safe for the first time since her father had been captured. "I love you Dad," she said quietly.

Her father's arms tightened around her. "I love you too Zo. Nothing will ever change that," he promised her. Zoe looked up into her fathers gaze, finding the sadness that some of his biggest scars were revealed and the happiness that she loved him regardless. Percy, reluctantly, released his little girl. "Go on and clean up. We can talk more at dinner."


Dinner was her favorite, homemade pepperoni pizza. Her father had spent years learning to cook at the side of Hestia and in doing so knew all manners of dishes and meals that he could cook. He could just conjure it, but there was something about the handcrafted food that made it just...more. From the first bite Zoe had realized just how hungry she was. She didn't even know what time it was but knew she hadn't eaten since breakfast before finding her father. The three ate in relative silence to start. The two adults watching with amusement as the young teenager stuffed her face with food. Zoe didn't care though. To Hades with embarrassment this stuff was good and she was starving. They sat at a decent sized table in the dining room. Her father sat at the end of the table and Reyna across from her.

When she finally calmed down in her eating she decided to voice her questions. In getting changed into some pants and a purple shirt, she had pondered what she had been told and was still curious. "So," she began as she took a quick drink of soda. "If Leo failed to stop Gaea, how did you beat her?"

Percy and Reyna shared a look. Percy shrugged and swallowed his food. "I kinda just became a god?" he answered uncertainly. "Maybe it was the stress, the anger, the desperation, maybe all three. I just remember her antagonizing me about Annabeth's death and I snapped." He stared at the ceiling in thought. "Might have been Nyx's doing though. Even for a goddess she is very possessive. It wouldn't be surprising if she were to give me an advantage to survive. Even if it's just so she can try again later."

Zoe stared at her father in confusion. "You just said two wildly different theories," she complained loudly.

Percy shrugged. "I got nothing for you kid," he said with a smile. "So, want to tell me about your quest?"

Zoe smiled brightly before she bag an her tale. Starting from her very first dream to the prophecy. The meeting with Aphrodite and the Minotaur. The first fight with Pallas and being saved by Charon. All the way to meeting up with Reyna and finding Percy. She decided to leave out the disturbing thoughts that went through her head as she fought with the shadows. There was no need to worry them over potentially nothing.

Percy looked thoughtfully at the ceiling, rubbing at his beard. "Delphi's prophecies are normally more poetic. Maybe she's out of practice?" he questioned humorously.

"I don't get the last line though," said Zoe as her father smiled at some joke only he heard. "The rest seems pretty self explanatory. Daughter of Heroes stands tall and fair, is an obvious line that I have to go. Follows Destruction's golden trail, references how I had to search through your domain of Destruction to find you. Break the bonds, forged in love, is the shattering of my wards that you made to protect me. And free a god, before he is lost, saving you," she pointed at her father who nodded along. "A warrior princess crowned in natures fury, got to admit this one sounds a little pretentious but I would assume I looked like a warrior princess when Nyx claimed me. A hurricane sitting over my head was a nice touch. Reveals Disasters' secret to his fall from grace, I don't really get this one though. Do you think it is referencing the Giants War?"

"Maybe," Percy conceded, his eyes seemingly looking out into the distance. "If it's not, we will know when it happens."

Zoe shook her head clear of such thoughts. "So what happens now?"

"Well," Reyna spoke up. "Tomorrow we will go to Olympus. If you're to have a life outside of this cabin, we have to make it so Jupiter is unable to attack you. To do that we have to put it to a vote of the Council on wether you are a threat or not."

Zoe's eyes widened. "Uh, and if they vote yes?"

"They won't," Percy interjected. "Some will, Zeus, Ares, maybe Dionysus if he doesn't know what's good for him. But the rest either won't care about you or will vote in our favor." He gave Zoe a cheeky grin. "You think we would do this if we weren't confident in the results?" He then had a realization. "Actually, I just remembered. I have something for you." He quickly stood up and walked out of the dining room. A flash of light indicated his departure.

Reyna shook her head. "I swear that man is such a Seaweed Brain. Didn't even say bye," she chuckled.

Zoe shared it with her but really was thinking. She had enough time to think about it while cleaning up. Should she ask? Would it be weird? Guess she'd have to find out. "Hey, Reyna?" she got her care takers attention. "I have a question."

Reyna nodded, eyeing her curiously. "Of course." She lifted her cup to her lips

Zoe bit her lip in thought. "Can I call you Mom?"

Reyna choked on her drink. She coughed violently trying to expel the water from her lungs. When she regained her composure, she looked to Zoe. "Where did this come from?"

Zoe shrugged. "I-I've spent my whole life wondering who my mother was. What kind of person she would be. Now I know. I haven't met her yet, but from your description and the events over the past few days have given me enough of an impression," she took a shaky breath. Zoe felt her eyes become wet. "And I realized that the person I wanted my mother to be, was you. You've taken care of me my whole life. You taught me everything I needed to know about being a demigod and a human being. You're smart and kind and I look up to you before everyone else, even Dad. You're the mother I needed and the mother I wanted." She tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "So, can I call you Mom?"

Reyna looked teary eyed as she smiled at the young girl. Wordlessly, she rose. Reyna quickly moved around the table and swept Zoe up in a hug. Zoe felt like Reyna was trying to squeeze the breath out of her and so hugged her back with equal intensity. "I can't think of anything that would make me happier than to be able to call you my daughter." Zoe's felt tears roll down her cheeks as she squeezed her mother for dear life.

"Uh, did I miss something?" Percy's voice sounded from across the room. The two disengaged from each other and wiped away their tears.

Reyna seemed to regain her composure faster. "I'll tell you later," she promised him. Her eyes flicked down, looking for his hands. She smiled and pushed Zoe towards her father. "Go on, your father has something for you."

As Zoe stepped around the table, she noticed her father's hands clasped together in front of him. Percy smiled brightly at his daughter and revealed a watch to her. "Figured this would complete your armor set." Zoe's eyes widened as she snatched the watch from his grasp. She quickly put it on and pressed one of the buttons. The watch transformed into a large round shield of celestial bronze. Her hand gripped a smooth wooden handle and a leather strap formed over her forearm. She removed the shield from her arm and examined the smooth front of the shield. A hurricane decorated the entire front of the shield in a brilliant silver and a crossing golden spear and black torch with a blood red flame painted in the eye of the storm. The symbol of her father and now mother. Zoe's smile split her face in two as she looked between her mother and father. "I asked Tyson to make it. Was suppose to pick it up and give it to you for your birthday, but...," he shrugged.

Zoe placed the shield down on the table before hugging her father again tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you," she squealed rapid fire.

Percy hugged his daughter back. His own smile spreading across his face. "You're welcome, Princess. Of course, it is also enchanted to return to your wrist. handy little trick that is after all," he explained to her before looking at his own watch. "It is getting kinda late though. I think we should all head to bed. Got a big day tomorrow."

Zoe noticed the watch had returned to her wrist. She examined it and saw it was quiet late. "Alright then," she squeezed her father once more before releasing him. "I guess I will see you in the morning." She hugged Reyna who had come around the table. "I love you both."

"We love you too Zoe," Reyna reciprocated. "See you in the morning."