p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"The worst part? When Riverspawn Jackson came back the next day, I had to hear about it emsecond-hand./em/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"Everyone who ever interrupts me during my work does it so meekly, like I'd skewer them for the crime. I'm not sure how I got this reputation, but being as it was, that was how Connor Stoll popped his head up onto my bunk and asked, "Annabeth?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"I jumped, and Connor bounded back about five feet. "Oh, hey, Connor. What's up?" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"Connor swallowed. "She's back."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""Ah." My guts coiled into my feet. "Well, let's go greet her."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"Usually, we don't make a big deal of it when a new camper arrives. Chiron gives them the rundown, their senior counselor shows them around the camp, the Hermes kids make sure to try and impress them with stolen contraband. We've got it down to a science, what with the influx of new campers after the wars./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"I figured it would be a larger deal this time around, with Riverspawn, but what I found when I got to the Big House was an emevent. /emAll twenty or so cabin leaders had already gathered in the meeting room, crammed around the ever-expanding ping-pong table that had hosted so many war meetings. I scanned the counselors' familiar faces, drawn tight with anxiety. Jugs of lemonade and nachos sat on the table, untouched. Nico di Angelo and Will Solace sat at the corner of the table, whispering urgently at each other. And there was Riverspawn Jackson, standing across from me at the head of the table. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""Oh, there you are, Annabeth!" she smiled brightly. "Now this meeting can finally get started."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"I nodded at my fellow cabin leaders mutely, then took the place they'd left for me at the opposite head of the table. On my right, Percy scooted his chair closer and put a hand on my knee; on my left, Thalia Grace rocked back and forth with her feet on the table. "What's all this about?" I muttered./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""She just appeared in front of everyone at the dining pavilion, screaming that she needed to tell us something," Thalia said lowly. "It was really dramatic. You didn't hear any of it?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"I sighed. "Percy got me these noise-canceling headphones for Christmas last year."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"On my other side, Percy snorted and leaned over, but just then, Riverspawn started her spiel. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""So hiii, everyone." Riverspawn gave a little wave. "My name is Riverspawn Jackson and I'm eighteen."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"No one said anything, so after a beat, I waved my hand. "Okay, Riverspawn. Can you tell us about how you got here and who you are?" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"Riverspawn locked eyes with me, and I realized for the first time their intense lightning-blue hue. Blue, like Thalia. "Well, I was vacationing at Montauk when I was attacked by something big." Her voice was soft and melodic. It could have sprouted wings. "I didn't know what it was. But it chased me all the way up here, and I killed it by flipping up on top of its head, breaking its horn off, and then rolling down onto the ground. I came up in a kneel and stabbed the thing through the chest. It turned into dust in the wind." Riverspawn shuddered. "And my mom…"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"Next to me, Percy stiffened. Clarisse, a couple counselors down, turned to scowl at me. She and I had never seen eye-to-eye, but I could always count on her to remember certain things, like how battles went and monsters were killed… and how we had heard this story before./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""What happened to your mother?" asked Katie Gardner gently./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""She disappeared in a flash of light," said Riverspawn forlornly, "and my brother and I… we're orphans now."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""Your brother," I repeated./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""Yes," said Riverspawn Jackson, staring now at Percy. My stomach lurched as her stormy blue eyes turned an iridescent sea-green—a shade I knew intimately. "My brother. Percy Jackson."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"Wordlessly, Percy opened, then closed, his mouth. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"I shook my head. "Riverspawn, I'm sorry, but that doesn't make any sense. Percy's been here for ten years by now. His mom is alive. In fact, we spoke with her last night, after you arrived."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""Uh, and more importantly," said Percy delicately, "I don't have a sister."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"The words hit Riverspawn like a sledgehammer, and for the first time I saw a kind of fury boil behind her eyes. "Well, how else do you explain this?" She closed her eyes and made some kind of fancy hand gesture, almost like she was unscrewing an invisible pickle jar. We all flinched as, one by one, the jugs of lemonade on the war table shattered, the liquid inside flying up to join an ever-growing bubble of lemonade that Riverspawn suspended in the air. With a flick of her wrist, the bubble took on form after form: a horse, an icosahedron, a sword, a flower. Finally, when she had had enough of her cinematic demonstration, she slammed her hand down and the blob sped down towards the table at the speed of sound. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""No, don't—" gasped Percy, and he flung an arm out to stop the bubble. Gingerly, he willed the liquid to trickle back to their original carafes. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""My name," crowed Riverspawn Jackson triumphantly, "is Riverspawn Jackson, and I'm your sister, a daughter of Poseidon. Earthshaker, stormbringer—"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"Percy buried his head in his hands. "Please stop."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""That's not it, though." Riverspawn winked at me, and her eyes became electric blue again. "I'm also a daughter of Zeus."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""What?" demanded Thalia. She swung forward, sitting up with renewed authority. "How is that possible?" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""How is emthis /empossible?" Riverspawn simpered. She lifted her arms and every hair on my body stood on end. Improbably, her hands became cloaked with dark storm clouds, flickering with lightning. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"Thalia stood up. "That's enough, Riverspawn, knock it off."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""Want more?" asked Riverspawn delightedly. "I can do lightning too. Watch this." She curled her hands into fists. A bolt of pure electricity pulled itself out of the cloud—flashing straight towards me. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""I said that's enough!" Faster than I could blink, Thalia slammed her hands on the table, and the lightning arced back towards Riverspawn instead and hit her square in the chest. The counselors at Riverspawn's side of the table ducked for cover as our ears popped and the room went dark. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"When the smoke cleared, Riverspawn was still there, unfazed, her hair and clothes intact. "That was fun! Shall we do more demonstrations?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""Don't tell me you're a daughter of Hades too," grumbled Will Solace, which was exactly what I thought he'd say and also hoped he wouldn't. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""Will!" snapped Nico immediately, face paler than usual, but the damage was done./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"With a giggle, Riverspawn's eyes melted into cool obsidian. "I have some great news for you!" She stamped her foot. Suddenly, the temperature of the room dropped ten degrees. The shadows bent and contorted around her, and when they finished, Riverspawn opened her fists and poured hundreds of exquisitely-cut precious gems onto the table. "I also have access to his Underworld powers if you like—"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""That won't be necessary," Nico said decisively, and we all heaved a sigh of relief. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""I'm also a daughter of Demeter, Ares, Apollo, Hermes, and Dionysus," Riverspawn rattled off on her fingers. With every word, her eyes changed: lush green, fiery red, burnished gold, sunny blue, and startlingly purple. "Do you want me to show you my archery powers?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""I absolutely do not want that," said Will Solace with a tight smile./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"Leo sat forward. "And Hephaestus?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"Riverspawn smiled, eyes flickering to match Leo's warm brown. She held up a hand. In a heartbeat, her hand was wreathed in flame./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"Leo's breath caught. "You're… not supposed to be able to do that." /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""Why? Because you're the only son of Hephaestus born in three hundred years who can do this?" smiled Riverspawn sweetly. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""First of all, how did you know that about me, and second of all, yeah!" Leo exclaimed. A little flame licked his ear. "How can you be the daughter of all these gods? Zeus emand /emPoseidon emand /emHades emand /emDemeter emand—"/em/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""Aphrodite, too—"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""emAND, /emyeah, her, too!" Leo's voice had risen to a shout, and his hair was now fully on fire. "It's literally not possible that you have so many powers. I don't even want to emthink /emabout what happened to make all of them your parents. I just—" He threw up his arms and slouched into his seat sullenly. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"Riverspawn was quiet for a long time. I thought she was going to say something that redeemed this even a little bit, and then: "Oh," she said suddenly. "I almost forgot. I'm also the daughter of Artemis and Hera and Hestia. Those virgin goddesses, huh?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"Thalia gritted her teeth. "Tell me how emthat /emhappened." /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"Riverspawn shrugged. Her eyes turned silvery yellow and she regarded her fingers absently, which were emitting rays of white light. "I don't really know. I guess things like this you just gotta accept, right?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""Not really," retorted Thalia, voice clipped./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""So that's it?" I asked carefully. "Are you done with your whole parentage?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"She thought about it. "Yeah. Do you want me to list them out again?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""No," everyone chorused./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"Riverspawn looked hurt. "What? Why not?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"I stood up. "I do. I want to hear your parentage again." /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;"Riverspawn met my eyes again, and this time hers was a maelstrom—green, purple, black, blue, red. "I'm the daughter of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Aphrodite, Demeter, Hephaestus, Hermes, Apollo, Artemis, Hestia, Dionysus, Hera, and Ares."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""That's 13," Percy moaned. "How is that possible? Why do you exist?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""13, yes," I said carefully, watching Riverspawn carefully. I thought about how her eyes never changed to gray. How she never mentioned being the daughter of- /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 15px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;""Why do I exist? I exist because Kronos is rising again," said Riverspawn softly. "And I'm the only one who can stop him and save the world."/p