Chapter 26: Loopholes

If only someone of Atlantean blood can wield the power of an Atlantean, and a Titan has learned to channel Strength and Passion to grow even stronger…Someone with both powers will be devastating.

- Poseidon's Notes, Page 32, On the creation of Atlantis.

"My, how have you grown, little owl. And what a surprise to find you here!" Hermes helped her up to her feet, and Annabeth was surprised to see the dark brown hair and pale features of Lady Persephone herself, standing awkwardly behind Hermes.

"Hello, Annabeth." Persephone said.

"Persephone…how…how are you?"

"Hm." So she was still cross with her. Fine then.

"Where's Nico?"

"Probably ripping Ares a new one. Come, we have a camp nearby. Nico didn't explain much, but apparently, you two are on a scouting mission?"

"We're trying to figure out where the monsters are coming from. The underworld has been under siege for weeks, and we have no clue what's happening in the outside. It was sort of a Hail Mary by Bianca. We need to get back to the House of Night at midday to get back to Underworld."

"I see. Well, we have a lot to talk about then."

Hermes guided her through the forest, and soon enough they found themselves in a hastily built camp. Some defenses were built, but it was clear that they were built as a deterrent rather than actual effectiveness.

"We've barely arrived, and the moment we did we had to move away so the scouts of those creatures don't find us. Forgive our…mess." Hermes chuckled.

She spotted Nico, glaring intensely at an incredibly tall and broad man, dressed in a leather jacket and sunglasses. He sported a buzzcut and was smirking at the glare the much smaller boy was sending him.

She also noticed the red welt on Nico's face.

"What the hell happened to you?" Annabeth blurted out at Nico.

"Punk tried to sneak up on me, HAHAHA!" the man who could only be Ares said, "You did good, kid, but no where close to good enough!" He slapped Nico on his back, making the young boy lurch forward.

"Ares isn't wrong. We only figured you out because you stepped on one of Persephone's flowers, and your hiding strategy was good." Hermes smiled, sending her a wink and taking a seat where a hearth was smouldering.

"Wasn't good enough…you figured out where we were?"

"You made too much noise." A new voice joined the group, and Annabeth froze. From the trees, carrying a handful of sticks, walked a woman with short blonde hair, strict features, and wearing a classical olympian style military uniform. A silver owl pin was prominent on her breast, and her grey eyes focused on Annabeth as she walked into the camp. "Hello, Annabeth."

"Mother." Annabeth said, shocked. She could count with her fingers the amount of times her mother had talked with her with more than a couple of words, and much to her shame she found herself wilting under her gaze.

"I have questions to ask you, daughter. What is this that I hear that you've thrown yourself with Poseidon's spawn?" Athena didn't even glance at Annabeth as she spoke, expecting her to follow her. "It is disturbing to think about you being a traitor, especially when I had so much hopes for you."

"I…mother, I swore an oath to Chiron. He—"

"An oath. Is that your excuse?" she glared at Annabeth, and Annabeth wilted. "I had expected someone of your intelligence to find a way around that. There is always a loophole."

"Mother—"

"You will deliver the son of Poseidon to New Rome the moment this…situation in Underworld is solved. I know he hides there with you, and I sincerely hope that you've found a way to secure him. He will be judged for his crime, and he will—"

"Crime?" Nico suddenly said, "Percy has committed no crime!"

"He attacked hunters of Olympus without swearing his loyalty oaths in the midst of a crisis that has seen one of our most powerful assets attacked. He has refused the calls of the council to answer for the location of his father, and has committed several crimes in the darkened world using his own enlightenment, breaching the MIST statute. Do I understand, , that these are not violations of the laws that govern our institution?"

"It's not like that—"

"Facts speak louder than your complaints. I suggest you find some."

Athena turned to Annabeth.

"You will do as you're bid, Annabeth, and perhaps you will be forgiven for your actions against your house."

Annabeth nodded, but Hermes placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Come now, Athena," he said, "It's not fair to force your daughter to break an oath, and may I remind you that you also swore an oath? Dionysus made a solid case for Percy's protection, as did Apollo, and Hephaestus. By your own laws, the motion was passed to ignore the boy until he commits any acts that may grant him suspicion."

"I have already outlined the acts of Perseus Jackson, they are—"

"Inconsequential. The laws outline that whatever happened before he came to the attention of the council doesn't matter when the Mos Maiorum is called."

Athena glared at Hermes. "That's not what they say and you know it. It says that the acts before the vote is called shall not be weighed upon his future crimes!"

"Perhaps not, but it is a loophole, isn't it?" The man smiled at Athena's clear frustration at being outwitted. "Annabeth is doing exactly what she should be doing. Chiron has given her a task, and she is carrying it out. You may not like it, but if we all did exactly what you liked we'd be sucking the sweat of Zeuzy Boy's toes."

"HA!" Ares yelped, "He's right, 'Thena. Relax, let blondy-punk be. I heard it was the brat who did most damage anyways, it doesn't seem like she had a choice in the matter."

"You are too harsh on her, Athena." Persephone chirped in, which surprised Annabeth. She and the other hunter did not have the best of relationships, mainly because of her mother, so it surprised her that she would support her. Then again, it could only be to stick it to Athena, and the girl found herself angry at how pleased that made her.

"Enough, I will not have you interfere on how I chose to bring up my daughter!"

"Not like you ever did…" Annabeth muttered, and she paled as the silence around her indicated that she had spoken aloud.

Athena's eyes were cold, distant. She looked down at Annabeth with anger, her hands clenching.

"I believe I have had enough. I shall take back our findings to Lord Zeus, he will be informed that the situation in Underworld shall be resolved shortly, and that—"

"Resolved shortly?" Nico burst out in anger, "My lady, with all due respect…we've been dying for the past two weeks! I've seen men and women I know all my life die protecting underworld!"

"That is their duty, child. The life of a hunter is seldom a happy one, I thought that someone from your house—" she said with disdain, "would understand."

"I understand more than you know! Forgive my disrespect, but what have you been doing, Lady Athena? I think you've been doing everything between nothing and fuck all! My father, my family, even Percy Jackson and your daughter have been doing everything in their power to protect our home, even when we know its futile. You recognize the importance of Underworld, if you didn't you wouldn't be here, but still decided to put it at the bottom of whatever importance list you carry for our lord. We believed in New Rome, and now that I see you, I know that we were correct in assuming that you were not worth believing into."

"New Rome offered aid to Underworld, and they were turned back. Lord Zeus has spoken of Hades' treachery, and this…performance is clearly his own doing. You are his spawn, so I cannot expect you to understand, however it seems that you're slowly corrupting my daughter as well. Come Annabeth, we're leaving."

"Mother…I can't. I promised Bianca that I would help, as well as Lord Hades."

"Promises are inconsequential when those promises are built on ambition and lies."

"And what about my mission? Chiron tasked me with protecting Percy and—"

"You should've put a dagger in his neck and be done with it, knowing what awaits him in New Rome that is the best protection the boy will get! Instead your time in Olympus has turned you soft."

"Enough." Nico said, standing up in front of Athena. Shadows began to grow darker, and some even began to bubble. A cold aura settled around him, and from the tip of his feet red cracks began to appear. "That's twice you've mentioned injury to Percy, a ward of the House of the Dead. Not only has he fought and bled for underworld, earning him the respect of everyone, but he is also bound to us through my sister. Make that mistake one more time, Lady Athena, and I will be honour bound to declare you an enemy of my house!"

"So the House of the Dead shows its true colours?" Athena sneered, "You cannot harm me, boy, lest you bring the wrath of our Lord to your dear father and your sister and what remains of your house. Your threats do not worry me."

"No, but there's always a loophole, right?"

Nico rose his smoking sword, and threw it towards Annabeth. The sword moved too fast for her to react, and even Hermes and Persephone seemed shocked at the action. Ares merely gave a laugh, and Athena…

Athena flinched.

The sword stopped right at Annabeth's neck, a hair away from piercing her. Nico's hand was stretched towards it, a very thin smoky line tying both together. Athena lowered the hand that she had reaching towards Annabeth, holding her as if in pain, and she seemed to look at Nico with new eyes.

"Annabeth is a ward of the House of the Dead. While she resides in Underworld, she is in our hands. Her mission ties her to Underworld, and a promise of enmity between our houses will make it very difficult for Annabeth. She is your named heir, right? Is this the game you wish to play, Lady Athena? I am not the smartest, and I don't like politics, that's more my sisters skill, but Percy is my friend. He has saved my life, he has bled for my family, and he makes my sister happy. If any harm comes to him, I promise three times that I will make them realize the reason why we've been shunned from New Rome! Even if I have to do things that I don't want to do, I shall do them, because that is what loyalty is. That's the loyalty my father has taught me. Will Lord Zeus do the same for you, Lady Athena, once the guillotine leaves behind a sea of heads?"

Athena looked at Nico, then at Annabeth, and at her fellow Olympians. They all seemed to look at Nico, a boy who preferred to stay to the shadows, with new eyes as he stood up to arguably one of the most powerful Hunters alive. Athena was not like Ares, with his raw strength, or like the big three, with their infinite wells of power, but she was smart. She was someone who knew how to exploit every advantage…and also when to back down.

"You surprise me, child of the Underworld. Perhaps there is something to you after all…" Athena took a step back, "Very well, I will include in my report that there is…something strange about the events of Underworld, but I still don't believe it's a real concern. With Ares, Hermes, and Persephone here, I expect this situation to be solved promptly. Annabeth will remain in your care, and I expect her to be treated with respect owed to a ward." She then glared at him, "But make no mistake. Threaten me or mine again, DiAngelo, and I will bring down the wrath of the heavens upon you. I respect strength, and you show it, make sure it doesn't turn into foolishness."

Athena gave a final glance to Annabeth, and she disappeared into the trees.

A moment of silence passed through them, before Nico collapsed. Persephone waved her hands, and vines grew from the trees to support him.

"You are like your father," she said to him, "Has anyone told you that?"

"Heh, I guess he will be happy to hear that."

"I never said it was a good thing…"

Hermes clapped twice, his smile unwavering.

"Well, that was eventful. Come, let us share a spot of breakfast and let Annabeth and Nico tell us about their occurrences in underworld. It appears much has happened, and I will be damned if I let my old pal Hades alone to die in his cold, cold tomb."

Annabeth nodded, and sat around the hearth. While Nico began to speak, her mind replayed the events that had happened just towards the end.

She saw the blade, reaching towards her, a feeling of betrayal passing through her at Nico's actions. She saw how quick he had been, how no one had been able to stop him…but Athena had tried.

She had reached out, gasped, and reached out.

Athena cared.