"Don't give her anymore; she'll burn up," I heard someone say above me.

"Look, she's waking up!"

"That's impossible."

I groaned as I sat up, holding a hand against my head. I was sitting on asphalt, various different lines painted on it, like we had stopped on the side of the highway. It wasn't until I saw a couple of planes that I realized we were at Crissy Field.

I looked around, feeling the blood rush from my face as I saw Atalanta and Zoe laying motionless on the ground. Atalanta's face had been covered by her parka, her hands folded over her chest, hiding the wound she had sustained. As for Zoe, Artemis was standing over her, crying as her lieutenant was slowly dying from Ladon's poison.

"Woah, there," I heard Percy say. "Don't try to get up. You've been through a lot these past few days."

"I don't care," I muttered, forcing myself to sit up despite every muscle in my body screaming at me to lay back down. I got out my bag and rummaged through it, trying to find that pesky vial I'd gotten from Salina years ago. "I need to give this to Zoe."

"You're going to turn her into a tree?" Thalia asked, recognizing the vial in my hand.

"Wait, what?" Percy asked, staring at the vial. "You were the one that turned Luke and Thalia into a pine tree?"

"Yes, but that's not important. And, no, this won't turn her into a tree. It's a cure to Ladon's poison."

Thalia's eyes widened in surprise. She took the vial from my hands and ran over to Artemis, letting the goddess force the medicine down Zoe's throat. I watched as Zoe's body convulsed, initially rejecting the medicine, before she relaxed, sitting up calmly and pressing a hand to her side, clearly surprised when her hand didn't come back stained red.

"But what about the prophecy?" Percy asked as Zoe, Artemis, and Thalia returned back to where I was still struggling to stay sitting. "I'm very happy that you're alive, Zoe, but who is the one who perished by a parent's hand?"

"Atalanta, I'm afraid," I said, gesturing to the fallen Huntress. "The man in the body armor had been her father."

"How do you know that?" Artemis asked, her eyes shining with unshed tears about the loss of one of her friends.

"I was the one that brought Atalanta to you, my lady. I found her on the streets, asked if she wanted to go to a safe place, and once she told me about her abusive mercenary father, I led her to you. After I knocked him out, his mask fell off, and I recognized him from a picture Atalanta had shown me."

"Thank you for telling us," Zoe said. "But for the love of gods, please pass out again. My Lady has told us about your strength and resilience, but you're still mortal. No one walks away from the sky without some token."

"Like that?" I asked, gesturing towards Percy.

"What happened?" he asked, patting himself down like he'd expected to grow an extra limb or something.

"Your hair!" Thalia gasped. "It has a gray streak now!"

"We can discuss this all in due time, I assure you," Artemis said, "but I must get going. The winter solstice meeting is about to begin, and I must be there. I'll send for transport."

Artemis hopped into her moon chariot, flicked the reins, and her dozen deer took off, leaving her as a silver blur in the night sky. Behind her, little pinpricks of light seemed to fall from the chariot. Once she was truly gone, I stared at the new stars in the sky, smiling sadly after I figured out what Artemis had done.

"Where did Atalanta's body go?" Thalia asked, gesturing where the fallen Huntress had been laid to rest.

"Up there, amongst the stars," Zoe said, pointing out the new Huntress constellation in the sky. "She's beautiful."

"Zoe," I said, my words beginning to slur together. "I think I'm gonna take you up on the offer. Good night."

"Quick, grab her head!"

I landed on Percy's jacket, passing out the moment my head touched the fabric.

From what Cleo told me, I was in and out of consciousness for three days before I managed to stay awake for longer than six hours at a time. She'd complained about all the stress fractures I'd sustained from holding the sky, but then she remembered that water could heal me, and she kept me inside a bathtub for four hours, refusing to let me out until all the fractures had healed.

"Some people would view this as torture," I pointed out, shivering as the water had lost its heat ages ago. I was still too weak to try my powers, so I opened the drain a little bit and turned on the hot water.

"Well, I could put you in a full body cast for six to eight weeks, which you would view as torture," Cleo retorted, her pen furiously scribbling away at her paperwork that came with running the infirmary.

"Fine, I'll stay in the bath."

"Damn right."

I raised my eyebrows at her. "And since when did you curse?"

"Hey! I'm fifteen now, old enough to make my own choices."

"Uh, huh. Sure."

Cleo splashed me, knowing that I wouldn't be able to soak her head to toe like I normally would've. I settled with splashing her back, laughing as she complained about the wet spots on her papers.

"You know the second I release you, the gods want to see you, right?" Cleo asked, ending the levity of our conversation.

"I figured," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "By the way, what happened to Thalia? I haven't seen her around."

Cleo pursed her lips together, cautiously setting down her clipboard, like she was afraid to upset me. "Andy, Thalia joined the Hunters on the winter solstice, the day before her sixteenth birthday. Something about not wanting a prophecy to be hers."

"How did Luke take it?"

She visibly winced. "He's pretty shaken up about it. I mean, during the year, they dated. As far as I was aware, they were still dating even while Thalia left on the quest to save you and Artemis. To just turn to the Hunters like that without any kind of warning…" Cleo shook her head. "It's cruel, Andy. Luke's such a sweet boy, and he loved Thalia so much that he would move Heaven and Hell for her. He's devastated."

"I want to talk to him," I said.

"You're not allowed any visitors until after you speak with the gods," Cleo said solemnly.

I sighed and leaned further into the bathtub, the water at my chin. "Let me guess – Apollo's orders?"

"You know it. Sorry about that."

I waved off her apology. "It's fine. Just, keep an eye on him for me? I know I haven't been around him in a long time, but I don't want him to turn resentful and find refuge in my father. I don't want to lose Luke to his own anger."

"I promise, I'll watch out for him." As Cleo spoke, her face turned a bright red, like she couldn't believe I'd asked her to keep tabs on Luke. I watched as she fidgeted in her seat, her feet tapping to the tune of one of our campfire songs.

Now, to anyone else, this would've been brushed off as typical demigod ADHD behavior, but I've known Cleo for seven years, giving me more than enough time to pick up on her nervous ticks. She was displaying all of them at the moment, even averting her gaze from me, trying to get back to work.

"Oh, I see," I said, smirking deviously. "You like-"

"Shut up!" Cleo hissed, her face turning a darker shade of red. "My brothers will kill me if they find out!"

"Why?"

"Well, not kill me but give the whole older-brother speech. You know, the 'He-better-treat-you-right-or-I'm-going-to-gut-him-like-a-fish' speech?"

"Is it really that bad?"

"Let's just say, Michael and Lee have scared off every boy that Hannah and Paula have tried to date."

I burst out laughing, unable to picture the two eldest sons of Apollo scaring off sons of Ares, Athena, or Demeter, who they deemed unworthy of their sisters. Especially Lee Fletcher, who kind of looked like a weasel and stood at the intimidating height of 5'2".

Cleo rolled her eyes at me, smiling softly to herself as she did. After a few more minutes, Cleo had me get out of the bathtub and began palpitating my arms, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Her hands then moved to my back and my legs, applying pressure for a moment before moving on.

Before anyone worries about any type of nudity, let me be clear, I was wearing a bathing suit the whole time.

"Any pain if I press down harder?" Cleo asked, digging her index and middle fingers into my shoulder blades.

I gasped, biting back a wince as I felt pain lace through my shoulders. They definitely hadn't finished healing yet. Cleo seemed to sense this too, adding more hot water to the bathtub before ordering me to get back in.

"You know, I hadn't thought about the possibility of stress fractures while holding the sky," I told Cleo, rolling a strand of my hair between my fingers.

"Who would? You were trying not to die first."

"Touché."

It took another six hours before the fractures finally healed, which gave me enough time to finish the book I'd stopped reading because of the trip to Westover Hall. By the time Cleo had cleared me, the sun had begun to set, meaning I'd be going to Olympus at night, my favorite sight.

I changed into something more formal, feeling like it was appropriate to dress for the occasion. I wore a royal blue dress with a keyhole back and little white flowers embroidered along the hem and let my curls fall in waves down my back. But no way was I going to wear heels or flats, so I settled on my blue Converse, which still matched my outfit, meaning that Aphrodite wouldn't have a heart attack at the sight of my shoes.

"You look beautiful," Cleo said, tying off her braid. "Do you have a secret boyfriend on Olympus that I need to be worried about?"

I felt myself blush. "No, I'm not dating anyone. I don't have time for that."

"Such a shame," Cleo sighed, hopping up onto her seat. "Any man would be lucky to have you, Andy."

"The same goes for you. Don't let Michael and Lee discourage you, Cleo," I said. "And if you want to go after Luke, I wish you the best of luck."

Now it was Cleo's turn to blush. "Shush you. Now, off to Olympus you go."

All I'd been summoned for was to recount my version of what happened at Westover Hall and the fight that took place at Mt. Tam. Hades, who had been invited since this involved his children, glowered at the mention of the Manticore almost striking Bianca, gritting his teeth together like he wanted nothing more than to lock him up in the dungeon for the rest of eternity.

"Are we going to forego the fact that Andromeda survived the weight of the sky for five days?" asked Athena, her gray eyes whipped up into a storm as she thought. "Perseus barely survived five minutes, let alone five days."

The gods turned towards me and Artemis, waiting for an answer. I shrugged my shoulders, unsure of how I should answer. I didn't know how I'd survived for as long as I did, because I doubt willpower alone could've been enough.

"Well, she did pass out for four of the five days," Artemis mused, plucking the string of her bow absentmindedly.

"What are you thinking, sis?" Apollo asked, glancing up from his phone and blinding the rest of us with his smile.

"Don't call me sis! And I was thinking that perhaps Andromeda was dreaming while she was unconscious. Perhaps someone was protecting her."

I bit the inside of my lip, a million butterflies erupting in my stomach. I hadn't contacted Salina in years, but I wouldn't be able to continue living without knowing the truth. My curiosity would consume me alive.

Salina? I asked, my voice sounding like I was shouting into a void. Salina, please, tell me what happened to me. Was it you or Kronos that kept me alive?

I was met with silence.

I sighed, hoping that I didn't appear too disappointed to the Olympians. The last thing I needed was for them to ask me what was wrong.

"May we look into your memories, Andromeda?" Hera asked kindly, her face contorted into a worried yet semi-hopeful expression.

"Go for it," I agreed. "I have no idea what happened either."

Hera stepped down from her seat, and for the first time in seven years, I allowed someone access into my mind.

The image shimmered in front of us, revealing me underneath the swirling vortex where the sky yearned to meet the earth, Artemis crouching down beside me. Hera focused in on my body, pressing a finger against the side of my head in the image.

The light shifted, revealing a grandiose library. Every bookshelf was coated in gold, shining as brightly as if the metal had been polished that very day. There wasn't a speck of dust on any of the shelves or books, despite the fact that each bookshelf was easily thirty feet tall. If you wanted to get anything past the fifth shelf, you had to step on this huge wooden ladder, gold-rimmed wheels attached to the bottom for easy access.

Everywhere I looked, there were more bookshelves, like being stuck in the middle of a maze, except the walls were made of wood instead of hedges. But we followed a pathway forward, the bookshelves emptying out into a huge rotunda.

Above us, the glass dome glittered with the sunlight that filtered inward, casting a spotlight on the red-carpeted circle in the middle of the library. Within the circle were a few beanbag chairs and desks, some of which had computers resting on top.

There was a woman sitting behind one of the four computers, humming to herself while her fingers flew across her keyboard. I'd stopped for a moment, watching the woman cautiously, going so far as to summon Epithymia before stepping out from behind a bookshelf.

From the way I was walking, I could tell I had expected for this woman to attack or trap me, but the moment she stood up, I put Epithymia away. I'd know that blonde hair and those blue eyes anywhere – Salina.

A crown of purple tulips rested in her hair, vibrantly standing out against her cerulean blue eyes and fair skin. She was dressed in a white blouse and light blue jeans, appearing more like a teenage girl than a goddess. A genuine smile tugged at her lips, joy evident everywhere on her face.

"Well," she spoke softly, "aren't you going to give your mother a hug?"

"Mom!" I'd exclaimed, rushing forward and throwing my arms around her. She smelled of honeysuckle and cinnamon, letting me know she'd been reading in the conservatory. After realizing this was Salina's library, I recognized this place as her home.

"Sure, just forget about me," Mr. Jones grumbled, heaving a sigh of relief as he dropped several large books on top of a desk.

"Oh, hush, Taurus. You haven't said anything to Andy since the moment she's arrived," Salina chided.

"And you know my reason very well. For the love of Chaos, this is too much interaction as it is."

"I haven't heard from Mom in three years," I mentioned. Somehow, my subconscious knew not to say Salina's name. "I think this little conversation is harmless."

"You say that now. Wait until the Olympians sift through your mind like they always do," Taurus said bitterly. "I'll be in the observatory if you need me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Salina sighed softly, shaking her head. "My husband has always had a flair for the dramatics. He would've made an excellent god of theater, but he is content with his constellations. Enough about him, though. Tell me what I've missed in the past seven years."

I told Salina everything, though whenever we were reaching a touchy topic, the audio would seem the cut out, no doubt the Fates' intervening. Eventually, I started going sketchy, my body fading in and out of existence in front of Salina.

She smiled at me sadly, caressing the side of my face in a very mother-like manner. "You're waking up, my dear. I'm afraid you won't remember any of this."

"Why?" I asked, my heart sinking into my stomach. "Please, I want to remember seeing you. It's been so long."

"Because if you do, my protection will wear off. You are strong, daughter, but sustaining the weight of the sky for as long as you have was a rash decision. Your bloodline has kept you alive up until now, where you should have died from overexertion.

"But the Fates prohibit your death for the time being, explaining why I came in. Andy, I'm so incredibly proud of you for standing up for your beliefs, but promise me, don't go to these kinds of extremes again. I've taught you how to get out of sticky situations, including a guard detail such as the one Atlas had prepared for you. Please, for all of our sakes, don't do that again."

"I promise," I told Salina, hugging her tightly until I felt myself starting to fade away. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, daughter."

Then the image faded away completely, leaving the rest of us completely stunned. I didn't know what to say, my mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. I could feel the stares of various gods on me, making me squirm where I stood. Gods, I hated being the center of attention.

"Andromeda, who was that?" Hades asked, speaking up for the first time since the meeting began.

"Yeah, and why'd you call her mom?" Apollo added.

Fates, tell me what to do! Please.

Tell them about Salina, Lachesis ordered.

But keep your mission a secret, Clotho said.

And do not reveal any information about your past life. As far as you're concerned, it never existed, Atropos finished.

Thank you, Lady Fates.

You're welcome, child.

"A couple months after running away from my abusive adoptive parents, I got into some trouble with the police. An officer caught me trying to steal a woman's wallet, but then the woman looked down and waved off the officer, claiming that I was her daughter, who knew better than to try to take her wallet. She held my hand and everything to make the lie more believable.

"She didn't ask any questions until we were by ourselves in a nearby park, where she asked me why I'd tried to steal from her. Once I told her my story, she offered me a place to say. A few days later, she told me the truth about gods and demigods, saying that she was a goddess."

"Which one?" Athena asked, a pen and notepad in her hand. "None of the goddesses I'm aware of would ever let someone get away with stealing from them, runaway or not."

I smiled ruefully. "No, I'm afraid not many have heard of my mother. She is minor amongst the minor goddesses. In fact, if it weren't for her domain being invoked so often, she would've faded eons ago."

"Who is she?" Poseidon asked.

"Is she a threat?" Zeus said in that overly paranoid way of his.

"No, Mom wouldn't hurt anyone unless the situation was dire. My mother is Salina, the goddess of wishes."

"You mean the fairy, the one who lost her wings and was doomed into being a willow tree after bearing her forbidden son?"

"That very one, Lord Zeus."

"Then how is she alive? If she was cursed to be a willow until the end of her days, how does she have a human form?"

I shrugged. "I never asked, and she never told me. Anyhow, she told me that I was a demigod and spent a year training me. For my fourteenth birthday, she gave me my enchanted bracelet and traveling bag. Then, I left in search of Camp Half-Blood, running into some friends along the way."

"So, that's how you came across Luke, Thalia, Annabeth, and Grover," Hermes noted, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Yup."

"Why do you call Salina your mother?" Hera said, repeating Apollo's previous question. "Has she adopted you?"

"No, not in the sense that you're thinking of, anyways. Salina took care of me in one of my hardest times, becoming the mother I never had. That's why I call her Mom. I still have no idea who my birthmother was or how she managed to run across my father long enough to end up pregnant with me."

The gods all went silent at that. I guess they had never considered my birth mother before, and honestly, I really didn't care at this point. If I could live for twenty-three years (counting my previous life) without knowing anything about my birth mother, I think I'm fine with not having the answers for the rest of my life.

"Are we done here? I asked. "Because my friends are going to worry if I don't show up."

"You have friends?" Ares asked bluntly, causing for Hephaestus to whack him upside the head with a hammer that had been in his hand, knocking out the war god instantly.

I smiled at Hephaestus, who returned the gesture before returning to the bundle in his lap that he was working on.

"Yes, mortal ones from college. We planned to watch the lighting of the tree in the Rockefeller Center."

"Ooh, can we go?" Apollo asked excitedly, hopping up and down in his throne. "Please, Father?"

"You're embarrassing me," Artemis sighed, shaking her head in disgust at her brother.

Zeus rolled his eyes. "This meeting is adjourned. You're free to do what you wish."

"Yay!"

Waiting outside the throne room for me was Star, Blackjack's sister, who had decided to become my personal pegasus while Blackjack stayed with Percy. Her coat was pure white, a complete opposite when compared to her brother's coat.

I fished a sugar cube from my bag, feeding it to Star while I brushed her mane. Then I hopped onto her back, asking her nicely to take me to the Rockefeller Center to meet up with my friends.

Sure thing, Andy. Need me to wait up until you're done?

"Nah, I'm good, but thanks for asking."

Don't mention it. I owe you for saving my life, after all.

"You don't owe me anything, Star."

Whatever you say, A.

Star leaped into the air, zooming down from Olympus, plunging to the ground below.