Chapter 7

That night, Mal dreamt of Evie. While Ben and Annabeth figured out which heroes would go on each quest, Mal hoped to put Nico's training to good use. For the past month, the son of Hades had been trying to teach his sister what it meant to be a child of the Underworld. It had been slow going. Mal couldn't move the earth like Hazel. Or summon the dead or traverse shadows like Nico. The only Hades-like thing Mal could do was summon the blue flames of punishment. But Nico put a stop to teaching her that after getting a warning from the centaur teacher Chiron.

"The flames of punishment are ignited by consuming a child of Hades' very own life force. Drawing on its power too much could kill you."

Which left Mal back at square one: a child of Hades with no child of Hades skills. The one thing she did seem to be making progress on was dream walking. Nico was incredibly adept at controlling his demigod dream visions and could even use them to communicate with people from time to time. Mal had successfully used it to keep in touch with Jay and Lonnie during their travels, but now she was pushing her powers to the limit. After tossing a few of her favorite strawberry tarts into the fire, Mal whispered a prayer before going to bed.

"Please Dad. Help me find Evie."

When sleep finally came, Mal found herself back in Evie's castle. The walls were covered in streamers. The floors were covered in glitter and balloons. Mal remembered this day. Evie's nineteenth birthday party. It was the same day Percy and Nico moved to Auradon along with Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson.

Evie stood alone in her design studio. She wore a glittery royal blue dress and a candy apple red sash that said "Birthday Princess" in gold cursive letters. She was pacing the room nervously, staring down at her phone. With shaking hands, she made a call.

"Hey, it's me. Evie. Um. I know you're busy," she stammered "It's just…it's my birthday. And I would really appreciate it if you wouldn't mind stopping by. Just for a little while? I sent you an invitation, but I guess it must've gotten lost in the mail. Like last year," Evie added under her breath "Anyway, the party's going on until midnight. I really hope you can make it. Bye."

Her voice broke and Evie hung up the phone as the tears started trickling down her face. Evie brought a hand to her mouth and sobbed.

"Evie?"

The birthday girl turned around and saw Doug standing in the doorway.

"You okay?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

Evie sniffled and dried her eyes. "I don't know why I keep doing this to myself. She's never going to come."

"You care about her. She's your family."

"Then why doesn't she want anything to do with me?" Evie asked, her voice breaking.

Doug hugged her then, rubbing gentle circles into her back.

"I could try talking to her again," he offered.

"No. No I'm done," Evie decided "She's made it crystal clear how she feels about me."

"Don't do that," Doug chided gently "Evie, you have the biggest heart I have ever seen. That last thing you do is cut people off from it. Even if they don't know how amazing you are."

Evie managed a brief smile. "I love you."

"I love you too. Come on, let's get back to the party. I have one more surprise for you."

He led the two of them into the living room and Evie's face lit up. "Mal!"

She ran to Mal with open arms, but just before the two best friends could embrace, the world turned black. Mal and Ben had come back from their honeymoon early in order to surprise Evie for her birthday. At the moment, Mal had thought Evie was crying simply because she was happy to see her. Now she knew better.

There was only one person that could make her best friend cry like that: Snow White, fairest of them all. Auradon's number one media mogul. Evie's estranged half-sister. Though estranged seemed to be an understatement. The VKs had been living in Auradon for almost three years now, and in all that time, the fairest of them all had never even bothered to meet her little sister. Mal and Doug had been trying to help the sister reconnect for years. But every time they got close, Snow White pulled away at the last second. But why were Mal's dreams showing her a memory? She needed to know where Evie was today, right now.

"Mal," a voice called through the darkness "Mal."

"Nico? Nico!" Mal repeated, but there was no answer.

The dream shifted, and Mal found herself standing on the beach of an island she didn't recognize. Her stomach churned as she saw the dozen stones piles marking the white sands. Gravesites. She found a cobblestone path and followed it into a nearby village. The architecture reminded Mal of the cities back in Thebes, where Henry's family was from. White marble structures with winding columns. Only this place was in ruins. The path was peppered with cannonballs. The buildings were scarred with sword slashes and musket rounds. In the village square, Mal found the one building still standing. A structure labeled "C.C's luxury spa." She walked inside and gasped. It was Evie.

She was lying back in a large leather spa chair, wrapped in a fuzzy white robe. Her feet were soaking in a rose petal bath. A pair of cucumbers covered her eyes as a pair of nymphs massaged her shoulders and fed slices of apple.

Next to her sat an older woman with long black hair, getting the same treatment. She looked so much like Evie that for a second, Mal thought it was the Evil Queen. But then she saw the gold monogram letters on the pocket of her robe. C.C.

"Well Evie darling" Circe asked in a sugary, sweet tone "how are you enjoying your visit?"

Evie hummed in delight as she ate another piece of apple. "Grandma, this place is incredible."

"You should've seen it before the attack," Circe said wistfully "once upon a time, this island was a safe haven for young women, lost and broken. Not just demigods, mortals and nature spirits too. I gave them a home. I taught them magic, so that they would never be at the mercy of man again."

"What happened?"

"Men," Circe said bitterly "Men found their wat to the island. A son of Poseidon washed up on our shores, along with his beloved. A brilliant young woman, with the heart of a warrior. I offered her a place on my island, but when the son of Poseidon found out, he became mad with jealousy. He used his command over the seas to summon a fleet of pirates to raze the island. My students fled. Others were captured. The bravest laid down their lives so that their sisters might survive.

Mal felt a chill run down her back as she remembered the mass graves on the beach.

Circe took the cucumbers off their eyes and took Evie's chin in her hand, locking eyes with her granddaughter.

"Man is the source of woman's misery, Evie. Never forget that."

Evie's eyes turned glassy. "Man is the source of woman's misery," she echoed.

The charmspeak was so powerful, even Mal found herself starting to stew over all little things that boys did that drover her crazy: Jay's arrogance. Carlos' fears. Nico's coldness. Percy's temper.

"Good girl," Circe said with a smile "Now get dressed. It's time your grandma gave you your first lesson in magic."

Evie nodded and walked into the back of the spa. Once she was out of sight, Circe looked directly at Mal, giving her an impressed smile.

"It's been a long time since anyone was able to spy on me. I look forward to starting your lessons as well, little queen. And your sister."

Mal opened her mouth to speak, but the dream shifted again, and she found herself at a small camp in the middle of a strange forest.

Three forms slept huddled around the fire in sleeping bags: Ahli, Celia, and Henry. And standing watch, sharpening his blade, was Nico.

"Hey sis," he said, looking right at her. The fire danced in his eyes.

"Nico. Where are you?"

"Promise not to freak out? I'm in Wonderland."

"What?" Mal's voice jumped up an octave "How? Why?"

"You said you wouldn't freak out," Nico muttered "Look, I didn't have a choice, okay? Henry and the others were already on their way and,"

"And you didn't want your friends running into danger without you," Mal finished.

Nico frowned. "I never said they were my friends."

"You didn't have to."

Nico stuck his sword in the ground and glanced at the sleeping freshmen. He smirked. "I guess I got used to them following me around. Listen, I don't have much time. I know why Jackie took Jane. She's after the lyre of Apollo."

"Why would Apollo need someone to lie for him?"

"Not liar. Lyre," Nico repeated "L-Y-R-E. If the Queen of Hearts gets her hands on it,"

Nico tensed as there was a rustling in the distance. He jumped to his feet and grabbed his sword.

"Styx. They found us. Henry! Henry, wake up!" Nico hissed.

The son of Hercules sat up and grabbed his spear.

"Trouble?"

"Big trouble. Go to go, sis. Meet us at the home of the Mad Hatter. And bring Grover. He's the only one who can,"

But before Nico could finish his sentence, a dark shadow pounced from the trees and tackled him from behind. The dream ended and Mal woke up in a cold sweat.

The next morning, the heroes gathered around Evie's dining room table before dawn, ready to say goodbye before their respective journeys. Mal told them about her dreams: Evie's call to Snow White, Circe's plans for Hazel, and Nico's warning. To make matters worse, Gil and Harry were nowhere to be found.

"The lyre of Apollo? That's the source of the music?" Annabeth turned stark white. "That's not good."

"What's the big deal?" Jay asked "So Hearts is after Apollo's favorite instrument. What's she going to do, start a music career?"

"The lyre isn't just a musical instrument. It's one of Apollo's symbols of power. The physical manifestation of his status as the god of music. If the right person plays it, it can create almost anything. If the Queen of Hearts gets her hands on it…on Styx, she's a daughter of Mars. If she's following the orders of her father,"

Grover whimpered. "Am I the only one getting DeJa'Vu here?"

"No," Percy said miserably.

"Yes," Tyson argued.

"What are you guys talking about?" Carlos asked "And what does it have to do with Jane?"

"When we were twelve, Lu-a son of Hermes," Annabeth corrected quickly "stole Zeus' master lightning bolt. His symbol of power. Everyone thought Percy was the thief, until we tracked down the real culprit. But the search nearly brought the gods to civil war. If Hearts is planning to give the lyre to her father, the results would be the same."

"You really think Mars would want to start a war with his own brother?" Ben asked.

"Dude. He's the god of war," Percy reminded "And even if Mars wouldn't, Ares definitely would."

"You give the god of war too little credit," Triton argued "He is impulsive, but not foolish."

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Are seriously defending Ares right now?"

"Ares is one of my oldest friends. We grew up together."

"That figures," Percy muttered.

"Eric and Rapunzel said that Apollo's music is the bonding agent between Hecate's magic and Aphrodite's love. Whether Ares is involved or not, we can't let Jackie's family get her hands on it," Mal decided.

"Aunt Annabeth and I figured out the teams last night," Ben informed "Mal will lead the team to Circe's Island. She'll travel with Annabeth, Percy, Triton, and Tyson. Carlos, you and I will go to Wonderland, find Jane and the lyre of Apollo. Grover, Jay, Lonnie, you're with us. We need to catch up with Nico and the freshmen at the Mad Hatter's-,"

"No," Grover snapped.

The room turned silent. No one, not even Percy and Annabeth had ever heard Grover talk like that.

Ben blinked. "Grover, we need your help. Nico was supposed to go with us but,"

"I said no," the satyr repeated harshly.

"Grover. Nico is in the middle of a warzone," Mal reminded, trying to stay calm "and he needs your help. He asked for specifically."

"I don't care. I'm going with Percy and Annabeth."

"Listen you stubborn goat,"

Grover bleated angrily. "That is a vicious stereotype!"

"Grover!" Percy placed a hand on his best friend's chest, pulling him aside with Annabeth.

Percy didn't need an empathy link to know what this was about. When Annabeth and Percy sailed to Greece with the rest of the seven heroes from the great giant prophecy, Grover had stayed behind at Camp Half-Blood. Then his two best friends ended up in Tartarus. Despite all his best attempts, Percy knew Grover still kicking himself for not being there to help.

Annabeth knew it too. "Grover, this is the best strategy. You know what Chiron told us about Wonderland. You're a lord of the wild."

Grover scowl melted into a pout. "This is supposed to be our last adventure together. I don't want us to split up."

Percy winced. Unlike him and Annabeth, Grover and Tyson hadn't moved to Auradon permanently. They each had lives back in New York. Girlfriends. Once Uma was back home safe and sound, they had to get back to Camp Half-Blood.

"I get it, G-Man. Believe me. But the Zombie Dude and the freshmen are in serious trouble. And you're the only one who can lead Ben's team through Wonderland. And for the record, this is not out last adventure," Percy promised "As soon as Mal gets the demigod camp up and ready, me and Annabeth are going to figure out a way to make sure everyone from Camp Hal-Blood and Camp Jupiter can come and visit whenever they want."

"Annabeth and I," Annabeth corrected.

"Do not worry goat boy. I will go on the ship with our friends. Won't let them fall into Tartarus," Tyson promised.

Grover whimpered, but the tension seemed to ease out of his shoulders. Despite his bad history with cyclopes, Grover and Tyson had become surprisingly close during Annabeth and Percy's trip to Greece.

"Okay. I'll go to Wonderland." And reluctantly, he shuffled off to stand with Ben and his group.

Ben reached over and took Mal's hand, gently rubbing circles across her palm as he stared into her gold green eyes.

"You know, this quest will be the first time we've been apart since the wedding."

Mal kissed him. "I'll miss you."

Ben kissed her. "I'll miss you more."

Mal kissed him back. "I'll miss you more than more."

Annabeth frowned and glanced at Percy. "We don't act like that, do we?"

"Yes you do," Grover muttered.

Mal glanced over at Carlos and Jay. Her dearest friends, her brothers in all but blood. The three of them had a silent conversation, an unspoken promise: Bring her home.

The S.S. Maserati was an old-fashioned sailing ship. It had three massive white sails, a blue wooden hull reinforced with celestial bronze. A masthead was shaped in the form of a galloping hippocampus and a dozen cannons lining the port and starboard side of the deck, each loaded with celestial bronze cannonballs. In the middle of the deck was the sort of runway leading out of a tunneled entrance, where pegasai could land and make their way to the stables below deck. It was an eighteenth birthday gift from Poseidon, and next to Riptide, it was Percy's most prized possession.

As a son of the sea god, Percy could control the ship telepathically, commanding the vessel to sail at rapid speeds with a single thought. But he liked to be at the helm, starring out over the horizon. But right now, Percy sat at the dining table on the port side deck, eating breakfast with his friends, reviewing the navigation charts given to him by the mysterious goddess.

"I can see why Gil and Harry wanted to leave without us," said Mal, pouring syrup over her strawberry crepes. "Looks like we're headed to the western isles."

"Western isles?" Percy asked through a mouthful of blueberry pancakes.

"They were some of the last territories to sign the Auradon treaty," Mal explained "There's not much royal presence out there, just a lot of conflicting rumors about pirate raids."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow as she used her knife to spread cream cheese on her bagel. "You think that's where the Hook armada's hiding out?"

"Wouldn't surprise me. Most of the locals are friendly to pirates. There are rumors that a group of them took down a trade company that was overtaxing the locals. If I were Hook and Gaston, that's where I'd hide."

"We have more pressing matters than mortal pirates, young queen."

Triton wiped his mouth with a cotton napkin after finishing his eggs benedict. He was dressed in his usual upper crust style: a white linen shirt with Bermuda shorts and loafers.

"What is our strategy once we reach the Isle of Circe?" he asked.

Percy felt his shoulders tighten. "We find Evie and Uma, get them to the boat, kick Circe's butt and high tail it back to Auradon."

"And what if that is not enough? What if Circe's hold is too strong by then?"

Mal frowned as Triton's voice darkened. "What are you saying?"

"I have watched Circe corrupt the hearts and minds of young women for a millennium. If your friends cannot be reached, we may need to end them."

Mal's face turned white. "That's not happening. We are going to Circe's island to save our friends, not fight them."

"And how do you plan to do that, little queen? True love's kiss will not save you outside Auradon's borders and even if it did, the son of Hook is missing and the son of the dwarf is dead."

"That's enough Triton," Percy snapped "This is quest is a rescue mission, deal with it."

Triton's jaw clenched at Percy's tone. "Not every soul can be saved. And the last thing Olympus needs right now is another Luke Castellan."

A chill washed over the deck.

Mal looked blankly at her grim-faced friends. "Who's Luke Castellan?"

Percy and Annabeth glanced nervously at each other.

"Luke was a son of Hermes who grew up with me at camp," Annabeth said hesitantly "He made some mistakes but,"

Triton laughed. "Mistakes? That's certainly putting it mildly. Luke Castellan was a traitor of the highest order. One whose actions nearly brought Olympus to his knees and nearly brought forth the return of the mad Titan king Kronos."

"But he didn't," Percy said defensively "Luke made some bad choices, sure. But he sacrificed himself to save Olympus in the end."

Triton scoffed. "He realized his defeat was inevitable and so he took the coward's way out."

"You weren't there Triton. We were, remember? We protected Mount Olympus from the Titan army while you were too busy protecting your game room."

The boat lurched as the sons of Poseidon glared at each other.

"I may not have been there Perseus," Triton acknowledged through grit teeth "but I know what Luke Castellan was: a self-righteous mortal who used imagined slights and alleged mistreatment as justification for throwing a tantrum that nearly destroyed for Olympus."

Annabeth shot up from her seat. Her hand gripped her knife. Her eyes looked almost murderous.

"Alleged mistreatment? Imagined slights? Luke was all but abandoned by Hermes. He grew up with a mentally disturbed mother and spent two years living with me and Thalia on the streets!"

Mal blinked at the mention of Thalia, the immortal daughter of Zeus who came with Percy and Nico on their first trip to Auradon. She had no idea she and Annabeth had been homeless together.

Triton rose slowly from his seat and turned his nose up at Annabeth.

"Luke Castellan was lower than pond scum. And if you were as wise as you claim to be Athena spawn, you would've seen him for what he was and slit his throat before he sent half your siblings to an early grave."

BOOM!

The ship lurched hard to the starboard side. Annabeth and Mal slid across the deck like it was a shuffleboard court.

Mal huffed and wiped the hair out her face. "Would you Poseidon boys please stop rocking the boat?"

"That wasn't us." Percy got up and drew Riptide.

Triton felt it too. "There's something in the water. Two somethings."

"Sweet children" a thin, hissing voice asked from beyond the ship "so far from home."

"Poor children," an almost identical voice said in a pitiful tone "no help, no hope."

A shiver ran down Mal's spine. She knew those voices.

And so did Triton.

"Show yourself cowards!" he shouted "I'll show you how helpless I am!"

"Triton," Mal hissed "Shut up!"

The first voice laughed. "Poor Triton. Trapped in mortal form. Did you ever think you'd see the day, Jetsam?"

"It is a dream come true, dear Flotsam. The once mighty king is now a weak little mortal."

Percy tightened his grip on his sword. He knew those names. Floatsam and Jetsam were Ursula's pet eels. And judging by the whale-sized dorsal fin that poked out the water as the two monsters circled the boat, he got the feeling that Walt Disney might've downplayed their deadliness.

"Circle up," he ordered "be ready for anything."

"Sweet Percy Jackson," Flotsam gloated from the depths "So desperate to escape the hero's tragic fate and find a happy ending with his true love."

"Poor Annabeth Chase," Jetsam chided "Didn't you know that your home would be helpless without you two there to defend it?"

Percy and Annabeth glanced at each other nervously. They had barely been gone from Camp Half-Blood a month, and half the campers had been kidnapped. Had they been selfish when they moved to Auradon?

"Enough!" Triton ripped off his necklace. It transformed into a celestial bronze trident. "Stop hiding behind your charmspeak, your spineless pond scum. Come out and fight!"

"Triton," Percy said through grit teeth "Would you please stop antagonizing the giant electric eels?"

"I will not be intimidated by backwater filth! I am a god!"

The eels broke through the surface of the water, and Percy wanted to strangle his stuck-up god of a brother.

The eels were each two stories tall. Their bodies were as thick as redwood trees, covered in slimy bluish-grey skin that arched with electric current. Their teeth were the size of basketball point guards. These weren't eels. They were sea serpents that looked like eels. Practically identical. The only difference in their appearance was their eye color. Flotsam's eye glowed gold while Jetsam's glowed white. Percy had fought more than a few sea monsters in his day, but he didn't know how to fight anything like Ursula's pets. The only advantage he could see was that the eels were both half-blind. Each one of them had only one eye, the other reduced to a scarred and empty eye socket. He guessed he had Eric to thank for that.

Flotsam bared his fangs and charged. The crew scattered. The eel opened wide and lunged at Tyson. The young cyclops grabbed the monster's jaw with both hands and used his massive strength to keep from ending up as the world's biggest fruit snack.

Percy gripped Riptide and ran to help his brother. He slashed against Floatsam's neck, but the monster's hide was so thick, that celestial bronze blade simply bounded off. The hide was too thick.

Jetsum circled around the ship, cornering Annabeth, Mal and Triton. Annabeth tapped her watch and it transformed into a celestial bronze shield emblazoned with an owl's head over an intricate maze design. It lunged at Annabeth, giving Mal the opportunity to dive for her spear. Annabeth deflected the attack with her shield and then slashed at is hide with her knife.

"Sweet little queen," the serpent coaxed "So desperate to prove yourself amongst the children of the Big Three."

Mal's knees buckled and suddenly she was no longer on the Maserati. She was standing in the middle of a familiar field. She could see cabins designed like ancient Greek architecture. Lush strawberry fields. A chariot racetrack. A growing crowd surrounding a roaring campfire. This was Camp Half-Blood.

And standing in the middle of the crowd was Hazel, Percy, Nico, Jason and Thalia Grace. Each of them wore a glistening set of Greco-Roman armor made of bronze, gold, iron and silver a simple circlet made of laurel leaves. A wreath of champions. The campers were picking them up, propping them on their shoulders and parading them around the camp. They were getting a hero's welcome. And why shouldn't they? They had bested gods, titans, and giants. Percy and Nico had survived Tartarus. Jason had been trained practically since birth. Hazel and Thalia had cheated death. They were true heroes.

Mal felt her spear grow heavy in her hands. Was she even worthy of standing among them? She was powerful yes, but all she had really done with that power was clean up her own messes.

"Poor little queen," a voice echoed from far away "You will never be enough."

"Mal, look out!"

Annabeth dived to push her friend out of the way. Her shield skidded across the deck.

"Mal, wake up. Wake up!" Annabeth repeated "We could really use a fire-breathing dragon right about now."

Mal stared off into space, her eyes distant and shameful.

"I'll never be enough," she said miserably "Never be a worthy child of Hades."

"Mal, snap out of it! The eels are charmspeaking you. Fight it!"

Percy's heart stopped as he saw the serpent about to devour the love of his life.

"ANNABETH!"

A watery fist burst from the depths and slammed into Jestum's jaw. It knocked him straight into the main mast, the timber cracking in two at the impact. The sons of Poseidon scrambled. Percy felt something hit the back of his head.

The ship capsized. Percy floated limply in the depths as his vision blurred. For a moment, he thought her heard music. A voice singing, clear as a bell. The eels swam off. In the distance, Percy saw something swimming towards him. A person? A fish? Something in between? Percy wasn't sure. He blinked and suddenly, he was a long way from Auradon.

Percy was sitting in a familiar restaurant back in America, decorated with golden arches. He could smell deep fryers mixed with an ocean breeze. The guests all wore t-shirts and swim shorts. A McDonald's out in Miami? Percy had to be dreaming. And not just because he missed American fast food. Because at the front of the line was Uma.

She was waring her usual teal leather. Her matching braids were tied back with a black bandana. She looked tired. Dark circles surrounded her eyes like whirlpools. She looked like she hadn't gotten a slept in days.

The cashier smiled and handed Uma a large bag of food. "Here you go. Ten cheeseburgers, thirty fires and twenty chicken nugget meals."

"Thanks." Uma reached into her pocket and handed the cashier three gold coins. She turned around quickly and bumped into a man coming from the soda fountain.

"Sorry."

"No Uma. I am sorry."

The man wore a blue Hawaiian shirt and Bermuda shorts. His deep tanned skin complimented his jet black hair, full beard and sea green eyes wrapped in smile lines. But he wasn't smiling now. It was Poseidon, god of the seas. Percy's father. And Tyson's. And Triton's. And Uma's.

Uma scowled. "Stay away from me."

"Let me explain," Poseidon requested.

"Explain what?" Uma hissed "How you abandoned me and my mother? How you left me to rot in a prison without a second thought?"

"Uma, please listen to me. Circe is using you. She and her allies seek to fill your heart with hate. This is not you."

"You don't know anything about me."

"I know you are a leader. I know you are strong. I know you are brave and kind. Do you really think your so-called allies would risk the wrath of the gods to feed their prisoners?" Poseidon asked.

Uma's scowl wavered.

"I know the attack on Camp Half-Blood was not your decision. But the other gods do not. Your actions have angered them. And they want their daughters back."

"That's what this is about? You just don't want to lose your precious reputation with Olympus. Circe told me all about your little fights with Kronos and Gia. A war is coming dad," Uma spat "You and your god friends won't be winning this time."

"You're right," Poseidon confessed "Olympus is in no position to fight another war. And right now, Zeus is open to every option to stop this one before it begins. Every option. If you continue down this path, I won't be able to protect you for much longer. Please my daughter,"

"Don't call me that!" Uma snapped "You don't get to call me that. I am Ursula's daughter, not yours. You're just the sorry excuse for a god who abandoned my mother and left me to rot in a prison for something I didn't do. You never cared about me!"

"I do care for you. Deeper than the deepest oceans. I know was not there for you before, but I am here now. And I would like the chance to atone for my mistakes."

Poseidon offered his hand and Uma stared at it, eyes full of rage and confusion.

Percy wished he could speak. He wanted to tell Uma to take their father's hand. He wanted to tell her how sorry for the part he'd played in Ursula's death. He wanted to tell her how excited Tyson was, how excited they both were, to have a sister.

Uma grimaced.

"The Isle wasn't just a prison, it was garbage dump. Did you know that? For sixteen years, I lived in Triton's filth. For sixteen years," she repeated with a tremble in her voice "I wore his rags and ate his table scraps. Hoping, praying for somebody, anybody, to make things a little better. But you never came. And when you finally decided to check up on me, you sent Jackson because you couldn't be bothered to see your own daughter. And then your favorite sons teamed up and killed my mother!"

Uma swatted Poseidon's hand away and marched out the restaurant. "I'm done waiting around for you."

"Uma. Uma!"

"Let her go brother," said Hades.

A shadow reached out and held Poseidon's shoulder, solidifying into the god of the underworld. He was wearing a black polo shirt and matching linen pants. His oily black hair was dyed blue at the tips.

Poseidon let out a weary sigh and ran a hand over his face. "I should've gone with you to the Isle."

"If you had, we both would've been stuck in that prison. Not to mention bring the attention of baby brother. Give her time," Hades encouraged "It's not too late."

Poseidon nodded and looked Percy straight in the eye. "I've done all I can. The rest is up to you, my son."

And then Percy's world went black.