After everyone had eaten their lunches, they all gathered in the throne room again, sitting in the same spots as before.

"Who's reading now?" Zeus asked, looking around.

"I will." Artemis volunteers.

Zeus nods and hands the goddess the book.

My Mother Teaches Me Bullfighting

"That doesn't sound good." Jason says looking to Percy.

Percy shakes his head. He wasn't looking forward to feeling that first fight again. or his father's reaction to what Hades had done with his mother

We tore …her foot on the gas.

Ares had a wicked grin. "My kind of driving."

"Until you end up in the infirmary." Aphrodite scolded.

"And begging me to fix your bike again." Hephaestus says, tinkering once again.

"I do not beg." Ares says.

"Mhmm."

The demigods watched as if it were a ping pong match. Clarisse and Frank shaking their heads at their father.

Every time …shag-carpet pants.

Travis and Connor gave each other mischievous glances.

"No!" Katie says whacking them both.

"What?" Travis asks, rubbing his arm.

"No shag carpet pants."

"Aww. You're no fun."

Will leaned over. "I'll help you."

The two quietly cheered.

But, no… wet barnyard animal.

"Thanks Perce." Grover says.

"What?" Percy asks, with a smile.

"Boys." Annabeth says shaking her head.

They both grin at their friend. Annabeth smiles back after a moment, to which Percy kisses her cheek. Completely ignoring Athena's glare and his father's curious stare.

All I could think …"Watching me?"

"Stalker." The Stolls say together.

"I... I was not…" Grover stutters.

"Keeping tabs … friend is a donkey-"

"Don't let the satyrs hear you say that Peter." Dionysus says airily.

"Especially coach." Jason says.

"He would kill us." Piper laughs.

"Not it would be more of a threat with cupcake in there somewhere." Leo tells them.

Everyone who knew the coach nodded.

Grover let out a sharp… from the waist down."

"You just said it didn't matter." Franks says confused.

"You just said it didn't matter."

"One braincell." Percy says motioning between him and Frank.

"Oh fun."

"Blaa-ha-ha! … there was a Mrs. Dodds!"

"Is that really what you should be focusing on right now Prissy?" Clarisse asks.

"I needed to know!" Percy defends himself.

"I would to honestly." Piper adds. "That long thinking you're going crazy. Some validation is needed."

"Of course."… realize who you are."

"So ominous." Hermes mutters. "Always ominous."

"Who I-wait a minute… still on our trail.

Poseidon looked pale and worried. He didn't like where this chapter was going.

"Percy," my mom said… blood-thirstiest minions."

"Probably wasn't the best thing to say in the moment." Thalia tells Grover.

"Yeah well, it's the truth." Grover shrugs.

Hades pointedly ignored the glare from his brother at that comment.

"Grover!" … something this weird.

"Ain't that the truth." Nico says.

Percy just sticks his tongue out at him in retaliation.

My mom made a hard left…white picket fences.

"I love our strawberries." Piper says. "Can't wait to have some again."

The rest of the demigods nodded. They really were good.

"Why can you not have any now?" Athena asks.

The demigods look to each other, sad looks on their faces.

"No reason." Katie says. "I'm sure it'll explain at some point."

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"The summer camp I told you about."

"CAMP!"

Percy smiled sadly. He missed the place. Annabeth leaned her head on his shoulder knowing what he was thinking. She did too.

My mother's … old ladies cut yarn."

"Not just 'some old ladies'!" Nico exclaimed, "The fates!"

Once again people were staring at Percy concerned. He shifted uncomfortably. He wished people would stop staring at him, he was fine! He told them it wasn't his!

"Those weren't old ladies… Not you, you."

"I'm confused." Connor said.

"You're not the only one." Apollo said, trying to figure out what had just been said.

Athena huffed. "It's not that hard, keep up."

Percy leaned over to whisper to Annabeth. "Your mom is kind of awesome."

"I know." Annabeth says with a grin.

"Boys!" my mom said. …"What was that?" I asked.

"That's what I'd like to know." Poseidon said, hands clenching.

"I think I have an idea." Artemis says, skimming over the pages again before continuing reading.

"We're almost there," … She'd meant to kill me.

"Oh, that's not a good feeling." Percy said moving his hands. That numb feeling was back, he wasn't looking forward to future chapters.

Annabeth looked at him, knowing what was about to happen. Hopefully, the fight with the minotaur wasn't that bad.

Then I thought about …down all at the same time.

Percy gasped and groaned, leaning forward towards his knees.

"It's okay seaweed brain." Annabeth whispered to him. "It'll be over in a minute."

Percy nodded weakly, taking a deep breath.

Everyone watched concerned, Will resisted the urge to go help, he didn't know if it would be welcomed.

No one was looking forward to future chapters.

I peeled my …Lightning.

"ZEUS!" Poseidon yelled standing up.

"It hasn't happened yet!" Zeus exclaimed trying not to shy away from his brother.

"It's fine dad." Percy says sitting up straight. The feeling was fading but his head still felt fuzzy. "I'm fine."

Poseidon looked at his son for a moment before sitting back down, but not before sending one last glare at the god of the sky.

That was the only … side of his mouth.

"Were you alright?" Piper asked him.

"I was fine." Grover confirms.

"And we also know it truly is only Percy who's getting this price." Athena says. "Grover was not affected."

"Oh joy." Percy says.

I shook his furry hip… want you to die!

"That's sweet." Hazel says.

Then he groaned "Food," and I knew there was hope.

There were snickers around the room, lightening the mood slightly.

Grover blushed slightly.

"Percy," my mother said…my skin crawl.

Percy rubbed his arms. "Hate this."

It was a dark …like he had horns.

"Please tell me that's not who I think it is." Poseidon pleads.

No one says anything.

Poseidon groans and motions for Artemis to keep reading.

I swallowed hard… Do you see that big tree?"

"Oh, hey it's me!" Thalia says.

"…What?" Frank asks. "How…"

"It'll probably explain later." Is all Thalia says.

That just made Frank more confused.

"What?" …"Mom, you're coming too."

"Mortals cannot enter the camp." Hera sniffs.

"Yeah well, I didn't know that now did I." Percy says curtly.

The gods stared at the demigod shocked that he would talk to one of them like that, but if any of the faces of the demigods were anything to go by, this was nothing new.

Her face was pale… a little louder.

Grover blushed again.

Percy patted his shoulder.

The man with the …that looked like horns ...

"Your first monster…" Jason started.

"Yup." Percy says. "Well no actually, that was Mrs. Dodds."

Jason just shook his head. Percy really did have bad luck.

"He doesn't want us… Percy. Go. Please."

"Yes please." Poseidon says to the book.

"I'm right here dad." Percy says.

"Right, right."

I got mad… Help me with Grover."

"Admirable." Athena says, looking at the boy. Maybe he wasn't as bad as she thought. Then she ignored that thought. All sons of the sea god were as bad.

I didn't wait for her answer… wet waist high grass.

"You should cut that." Demeter says.

Dionysus waves his hand dismissively.

Glancing back… white Fruit of the Looms-

Everyone looked to Hades.

"What?" said god asked.

"Do you know why?" Travis asks.

"Why what?" Hades asks again.

"The white underwear!" Hermes exclaims.

"Oh, yeah, no idea." Hades says.

which would've looked … an electric sharpener.

"Really that's what you're thinking about at this time?" Clarisse scoffs.

Percy just shrugged.

I recognized the monster… "Names have power."

"She's a smart woman." Athena nods.

"That she is." Poseidon says wistfully.

The pine tree was …"Food?" Grover moaned.

Grover blushed, Annabeth just patted his head.

"Can't help anything when you're unconscious." Katie smiles.

"Shhh," I told him. …The gas tank exploded.

"Oops." Hermes giggles.

"Finally, something good is happening." Ares says, leaning forward. It was getting good.

Not a scratch, I remembered Gabe saying.

Oops.

Hermes cheered and ran over to give Percy a quick hi-five before running back to his seat.

"Children." Hera huffed.

"Percy," my mom said… you know all this?"

Percy smiled. "She was ready for pretty much anything I think."

"She does like planning doesn't she." Nico says.

"Yup."

"I've been worried …He'd smelled us.

The tension was back in the room. Poseidon once again clenching his hands.

The demigods who hadn't heard this story leaned forward interested. How had Percy gotten out of this?

The pine tree was … he'd be on top of us.

"You really are a pessimist." Leo says looking at Percy.

"Just like his father." Hades says.

Poseidon snorted. "Yeah right."

Hades just raised his eyebrows at him.

"Okay maybe."

My mother must've been …reeked like rotten meat.

"I'm so glad I can't smell these things." Percy says. "This would be so much worse."

He lowered his head and charged; those razor-sharp horns aimed straight at my chest.

The room was silent as Artemis read. No one wanted to interrupt.

The fear in my stomach made me want to bolt, but that wouldn't work.

Percy felt his heart rate pick up as the phantom sensation of adrenaline flooded him.

I could never … Grover down in the grass.

"Sally." Poseidon whispered.

We'd reached … We'd never make it.

"Pessimist alert." Travis whispered to Connor.

Katie smacked their shoulders and they quieted quickly.

The bull-man grunted…kicking and pummeling the air.

Poseidon looked to Percy. "Please tell me she's okay."

"It's all okay in the end." Percy assures, not sure of what he's allowed to give away.

"Mom!" … Mrs. Dodds grew talons.

Percy sat up a bit straighter, the same anger and energy coursing through him again.

Annabeth held on of his hands, rubbing circles with her thumb.

The nearest demigods and gods shifted away from the anger radiating from the demigod. It was surprisingly strong.

The bull-man bore … Ground beef!"

"Weak." Clarisse says.

Percy let out a laugh. "As if you could think of anything better."

Clarisse smirked. "Bet." She loved riling him up. He was fun to argue with.

"Raaaarrrrr!" The … didn't happen like that.

"Of course, it didn't." Thalia says. "It never does, does it."

"Nope." The demigods say.

The bull-man … and landing on his neck.

Ares looked to the boy. "Luck."

Percy smirked. "I wouldn't be so sure."

"He has to be insane." Apollo says to Hermes.

How did I do that? … knocked my teeth out.

Percy sucked in a breath and rubbed his jaw. That wasn't a comfortable feeling.

The bull-man staggered … meat burned my nostrils.

"I really hate this price." Percy says wrinkling his nose as he felt that burning sensation. But then shook his head as he remembered what the note said. Anything for his friends.

The monster shook ... my own tongue off.

"Yeah don't do that." Will says.

"Not fun." Travis and Connor say.

Everyone sent them looks but they just smiled.

"Food!" Grover moaned…with all my might.

"I doubt you could do that." Ares sneers.

Percy just smiles at him.

The monster tensed, gave a surprised grunt, then-snap!

"You were saying?" Percy asked.

The gods just looked at him. This demigod was strong, even before any training. They shot looks at each other. What did this mean for them?

The bull-man … under his furry rib cage.

Jason, Leo, Piper, Frank, and Hazel all stared at him. They'd never heard this story. How much did they not know about their friend?

The bull-man roared … seen my mother vanish.

Percy leaned back, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. His head hurt, he was shaky, and he was feeling that grief all over again.

"You're okay Percy." Annabeth said rubbing his hand.

Percy just nodded; afraid he'd cry if he opened his mouth.

I wanted to lie … Bring him inside.

The room was silent for a moment.

Percy took a breath, the effects of the book wearing off, and sat up looking around.

"You okay?" Will asked.

"I'm fine. Let's just continue." Percy says, motioning to the book.